Lampung sets the date for repeat gubernatorial election

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung, Lampung

The Lampung legislative council has decided to repeat elections for its governor on May 15, despite strong opposition from some political parties and non-governmental organizations.

Those opposed to the planned rerun allege its timing is related to the loss of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in the April 5 legislative election.

The repeat vote could replace Alzier Dianis Thabranie who defeated PDI-P incumbent governor Oemarsono in the Dec. 30, 2002 election, which many observers said was held democratically.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno annulled Alzier's victory after police brought graft charges against him. Hari also ordered the council to plan new elections, arguing it was their responsibility.

Alzier, currently on trial for these offenses, has filed a request with the Supreme Court to review the annulment of his election.

Deputy council speaker Abdul Azib Zanim said on Wednesday registrations for gubernatorial candidates would take place from Saturday through Monday. "The election committee begins working to prepare administrative files today (Wednesday)," he said.

All candidates have to return their registration forms between April 21 and 22.

"The (new) gubernatorial election is set for May 15 and the governor-elect will be sworn in on May 29," Azip said.

The dates were decided in a plenary session by the council, which is dominated by PDI-P politicians.

However, the plan for a new vote was criticized by several political parties.

Safrin Romas, who heads the Lampung chapter of the National Awakening Party (PKB), said the new elections were to help PDI-P leader President Megawati Soekarnoputri win the July presidential election in Lampung.

The revote plan was deliberately speeded up after the PDI-P got less votes in the legislative election, which would automatically reduce the number of its seats in the Lampung council, he said.

"We will not bow to Megawati's political whims in such a way. These new elections by the 1999-2004 council are only a maneuver to get pensions and enrich themselves. This will (further) damage the image of political parties," Safrin said.

Lampung's Democratic Party secretary Cherwani concurred, saying the planned revoted should be delayed until after a new council was set up.

"The current council is no longer legitimate, so its authority to elect a governor is extremely doubtful," he said.

Similarly, Lampung's Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) leader Ahmad Junaidi Auli said there were no strong legal grounds for the current council to hold another vote.

Should it go ahead with the plan, it could spark conflicts among local people, he said.

Auli also urged a delay of the new election until after Lampung has a new council.

Similar opposition also came from the Golkar Party, which is expected to dominate seats in Lampung's new council, and the local academic Rectors Forum.

As of Wednesday, the PDI-P was trailing Golkar in the vote tally in Lampung. Golkar has so far collected 10 seats for the next council and the PDI-P only nine.

Lampung's Golkar head I Made Bagiase said his faction has been ordered by the party's central board to delay a revote in the province.

"It's better to wait for five months to elect a legitimate and capable governor," said Lampung Rectors Forum leader Muhadjir Utomo.