Late parties receive kind treatment from KPU
Late parties receive kind treatment from KPU
JAKARTA (JP): The General Election Commission (KPU) on
Wednesday relaxed its own rules and allowed two parties to run
for House of Representatives (DPR) seats despite missing
Tuesday's midnight deadline for submitting lists of legislative
candidates.
Commission chairman Rudini said: "The Indonesian Christian
Nationalist Party (Krisna) and the Indonesian Muslim Awakening
Party (Kami) have been included despite the fact that they were a
few hours late...We cannot just ditch people's aspirations,
especially in this era."
Krisna and Kami reportedly submitted their legislative lists
at around 3 a.m. on Wednesday.
"I take responsibility for this decision. The two (parties)
were not that late and we have a moral obligation not to curtail
their right just like that," he said.
"In the current political situation, the KPU cannot be too
strict with its rules. Sometimes we have to be flexible," Rudini
added.
Rudini said on Tuesday that his office would not tolerate late
submission of the lists.
Krisna listed 110 candidates from 18 provinces, while Kami
submitted 75 candidates from 20 provinces. Their documents were
received at 3 a.m. by security guards at the KPU office.
By midnight on Tuesday, 46 out of the 48 parties eligible to
join the June 7 poll had submitted the lists of legislative
candidates for House of Representatives (DPR) 462 seats.
The popular Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) registered only 164 candidates from 10 provinces,
while the United Development Party (PPP) submitted 636 nominees
from 25 provinces.
The National Elections Committee (PPI) has decided to allow
parties to submit additional names of legislative candidates
along with necessary documents up until May 9.
"Parties will be allowed to add or remove the names of
candidates until shortly before the list of legislative
candidates is announced on May 12," PPI chairman Jacob Tobing,
who also represents the PDI Perjuangan on the KPU, said.
Asked whether PDI Perjuangan was facing difficulties finding
potential candidates, Jacob simply said: "No...No problem. And
there's no friction in our party, either."
Later on Wednesday, however, the party submitted a list of
legislative candidates for the remaining 17 provinces marked with
significant changes.
The party's popular chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri will not
stand in South Jakarta as previously expected, but will instead
be nominated for Bandung in West Java.
Asked to comment, PDI Perjuangan leader Mangara Siahaan simply
replied: "Ask Ibu Megawati about the matter."
PDI Perjuangan figures who will run from Jakarta include Roy
B.B. Janis, Kwik Kian Gie, Sabam Sirait and Aberson Sihaloho.
Political activist Pius Lustrilanang will run in Bogor and
businessman Arifin Panigoro in Tangerang.
In East Java, Megawati's younger brother Guruh Soekarnoputra
will run from Blitar regency along with Roeslan Abulgani and
Haryanto Taslam in Surabaya, while noted law professor Dimyati
Hartono will run from Central Java.
Separately, as of 8p.m. on Tuesday, 36 political parties had
submitted lists of nominees for the provincial legislature in the
Central Java capital of Semerang.
They included the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR), the
Indonesian Workers Party (PPI), the Marhaenist Indonesian
National Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
In South Sulawesi, residents of Polmas have been angered by
the inclusion of Nurdin Halid on the list of potential candidates
for the local regency legislature. Nurdin, who will stand for
Golkar, was recently controversially exonerated in a multi-
billion-rupiah fraud case involving the use of cooperative funds.
In Palu, Central Sulawesi, Golkar Party chairman Akbar
Tandjung reiterated that incumbent President B.J. Habibie is
still the ruling party's strongest presidential candidate.
"I've been traveling across the country. Golkar is the biggest
party and so far Habibie has received the most support," Akbar
boasted. (edt/har/27/44/38/)