KPU to form more electoral districts

KPU to form more electoral districts

JAKARTA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) agreed on
Tuesday with the House of Representatives (DPR) proposal to form
electoral districts in the planned 24 new regencies and
municipalities.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said, however, the
commission would not establish new regional elections commissions
(KPUDs) in those regencies and municipalities.

The electoral districts map for the 24 new regencies or
municipalities will be announced early December, to give
political parties the chance to decide upon their legislative
candidates.

Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, chairman of the House committee
deliberating the formation of the regencies, said on Tuesday that
the KPU had to heed the House's demand because people in the
regencies would elect members of regional legislatures (DPRDs).

The committee members and the home minister are completing
bills that will establish the new regencies.

Ferry said there had been a series of closed-door meetings
between representatives of the committee and the government at
the Hilton Hotel in Jakarta from Nov. 14 through Nov. 16.

The legislators had earlier proposed that the legislatures in
the new regencies would be formed based on the composition of
votes won by political parties in the 1999 elections, in their
regencies of origin. -- JP