KPU's problems not just academic, political spats

KPU's problems not just academic, political spats

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Academics and activists frequently criticize government policies
and their implementation, often upsetting government officials in
the process. These proponents of change say they are merely
exercising their freedom of speech.

But what happens when the academics and activists become the
officials?

This happened in the creation of the now-troubled General
Elections Commission (KPU). The KPU was heralded by many as the
ideal body to organize a general election, because its members
were independent and respected scholars and activists. They were
recruited after undergoing tight scrutiny from the House of
Representatives (DPR).

The commission is headed by Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, a professor
of politics, while Ramlan Surbakti, a political scientist, is the
deputy.

Two of the 11 original commission members, Imam Prasodjo and
Catholic priest Mudji Sutrisno, quit shortly after the House
approved them last year -- a protest against the requirement to
resign from their previous jobs.

The seven remaining members are Mulyana W. Kusumah, Chusnul
Mar'iyah, Anas Urbaningrum, Valina Singka Subekti, Rusadi
Kantaprawira, Hamid Awaluddin and Daan Dimara.

In the New Order regime, the electoral institution comprised
government officials. In 1999, the commission consisted of
government officials, political experts and political parties'
representatives.

Therefore, it is understandable if public expectations for the
current KPU to prepare free and fair elections are high.

To be fair, the commission has had a huge task in running this
year's elections, which comprise three different events: the far-
more complex, four-vote April 5 legislative election, the July 5
direct presidential election and a possible runoff on Sept. 20.

Registered voters number no less than 147 million people in an
archipelago, made up of 17,000 islands. The commission is in
charge of distributing 660 million ballot papers to nearly
600,000 polling stations.

But election preparations have gone badly and many people are
disappointed about the increasing likelihood of voting delays in
the legislative election.

This messy preparation might be the results of, among other
things, the KPU's internal disharmony and disarray.

In a characteristic mistake last year, the commission issued a
circular to regional KPUs to collect political party membership
cards, so it could speed up the factual verification of voters.

A day later, it issued another circular revoking the earlier
one, saying it contained a procedural error.

In a critical meeting to annul ballot box tender winner
Survindo Indah Prestasi in December last year, several members of
the commission were not informed of the meeting.

KPU official Chusnul Mar'iyah, who heads the logistics
division, has also rescinded the authority of KPU member Mulyana
W. Kusumah to monitor the ballot boxes production.

The same decision occurred once again over a ballot paper
printing tender.

Commission members have openly showed their distrust of one
another especially in carrying out the tenders process. Their
transition from outspoken government critics to officials in
charge of a huge task -- and vast amounts of money -- has not
been a smooth one. The two bosses, Nazaruddin and Ramlan, have
also often issued contradictory statements.

Despite these shortcomings, the commission is still respected
by many as an independent and authoritative body.