Leading figures warn of 'disaster' if polls unfair

JAKARTA (JP): The nation could be torn apart if there is no guarantee that next year's general election will be free and fair, it was warned on Sunday.

"Poll rigging will lead to a disaster," Siswono Yudohusodo of the Movement for Indonesian Justice and Unity (GKPB) said here during the organization's national consultation meeting.

Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said in Padang, West Sumatra: "We don't want anyone playing foul like in the elections under New Order. Any instance of cheating, he said, would be widely protested. "And the nation will face an even bigger problem."

The warnings came amid deliberations of three political bills by the House of Representatives (DPR). The bills are slated for endorsement on Jan. 28.

The poll, slated for June, a month later than originally scheduled, will be the nation's ninth since its independence from Dutch colonial rule. The first -- dubbed the most democratic -- was held in 1955. The seven other polls held under former president Soeharto's New Order were criticized as being massively rigged in favor of the ruling Golkar party.

To pave way for democratic elections in the post-Soeharto era, three of the laws -- on elections, on political parties, on the structure and position of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the DPR -- will be revoked and replaced with the ones currently being deliberated in the DPR.

In a statement issued after the meeting, GKPB said that the upcoming election was a must for setting up a legitimate government, "... so efforts to settle the crisis and eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism can command support, consistency and justice," the statement read by GKPB Coordinator Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said.

To ensure a free and fair elections, GKPB suggested the election of DPRD I (provincial)/DPR II (regency) legislators be held on the same day as the national representatives.

The government has suggested, through its bill on elections, that the local elections be held on different days.

All the factions in the DPR's 87-member Special Committee deliberating the bills -- Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), United Development Party (PPP) and the Armed Forces (ABRI) -- have proposed it be held on the same day.

In line with widespread calls to avoid a repetition of government intervention blamed for contributing to Golkar's repeated victories, GKPB also urged that the bill limit the role of the government in the administration of polling to "financing and facilitating the poll and providing security".

"The emphasis of poll administration must be on the society, especially the contesting political parties," GKPB said.

The government has proposed the formation of an electoral committee, which it has called the National Election Implementation Committee (KPU), at provincial and regency levels. It will consist of "five representatives from the government, five from society and one from each political party".

The members from society will be determined by political parties and the government, the government has proposed.

The National KPU will make policies regarding the poll organization while the Indonesian Election Committee (PPI) -- which the KPU will set up at provincial and regency levels -- will oversee polling administration, the government has suggested.

PPI will also consist of representatives from the government, political parties and society. KPU will determine which members of the society will be included.

GKPB also said on Sunday it would work together with all members of society to supervise the polls. It also commended the retention of the proportional representation voting system.

Another issue related to free and fair elections was also touched on. Siswono and Golkar legislator Sutradara Ginting of GKPB urged that the country's four million civil servants be neutral from all political parties.

Ginting said the neutrality of both ABRI members and civil servants was a requirement for a free and fair elections.

"I don't know if Golkar has a vested interest of its own if it insists on making civil servants free to join political parties," Ginting of the DPR's Commission I for political affairs said.

Last week, Golkar contradicted the government and three other factions to fight for civil servants' right to be free to join political parties. Deliberations on the issue were left pending. (28/aan)