KPU to start screening local commission members soon
KPU to start screening local commission members soon
Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced on Friday that
it was now ready to establish local election commissions, meaning
that significant progress has been made as the general election
draws closer.
KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah told The Jakarta Post on Friday
that the commission would soon issue directives for provincial
governments to set up independent teams to select 10 candidates
for each provincial election commission.
"We will send letters next week to all governors urging them
to start establishing independent councils to elect candidates
for the provincial KPUs," he said.
"The ten candidates from 30 provinces, making a total of 300
candidates, will have to go through selection tests conducted by
us (the KPU).
"During the tests, we will interview every single candidate
personally," said Mulyana.
Anas Urbaningrum, another KPU member, explained that
commission members would go to every province to conduct the
selection tests.
"For the sake of financial efficiency, we will visit every
province, while the whole interview process will take about 10 to
12 days," he said.
The KPU will then select some 150 members, or five members for
each provincial KPU.
The provincial KPUs will later elect 5 persons for election
commissions at the regental and municipal levels.
The provincial election commissions should be up and running
by the end of April, while the regental and municipal KPUs should
be operative by the end of May.
The provincial, regental and municipal election commissions
are charged with organizing and announcing the results of the
upcoming general election in 2004 at the provincial, regency and
municipal levels.
There are 30 provinces and 410 regencies/municipalities
nationwide.
Meanwhile, KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin told the Post on
Friday that the Rp 649 billion (US$72.9 million) allocated for
KPU housing, cars and overseas travel as stated by the Ministry
of Finance was not a waste of money.
"These funds were allocated to procure over 400 service
vehicles for the KPU at the provincial, regental and municipal
levels," he said.
He added that the commission also planned to establish KPU
offices at these levels.
The Ministry of Finance said on Thursday that the KPU had been
allocated Rp 649 billion to pay for members' housing, cars and
foreign travel.
"These plans will benefit the work of the KPU in the long
run," Nazaruddin said.
The KPU had previously announced that it had increased the
election budget from Rp 3 trillion to Rp 4 trillion to cover the
costs of holding a legislative election and two rounds of
presidential elections.