LIPI identifies many flaws in political bills

LIPI identifies many flaws in political bills

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Political observers with the National Institute of Sciences
(LIPI) urged the House of Representatives (DPR) on Tuesday to
give the public a chance to critique and give inputs to the bills
on elections and political parties which they say have many
flaws.

They said public participation was also needed to enrich the
bills as well as to prevent House factions from manipulating them
for their own political interests.

"We hope the House will be open to criticism and inputs from
the public, especially non-governmental organizations and
students, to channel the people's political aspirations," said
LIPI researcher Ikrar Nusa Bakti.

Fellow LIPI researcher Syamsuddin Haris added that the
legislators should pay serious attention to the deliberation of
the bills which will be the legal basis for the 2004 General
Elections.

Both researchers were commenting on the substance of two bills
on political parties and general elections. The government has
yet to submit the bill on the composition and structure of the
People's Consultative Assembly, the House, the provincial and
regency legislatures. The bills will likely include direct
presidential election if the Assembly agrees to include the issue
in the upcoming Annual Session.

Syamsuddin emphasized that the bills designed by a team from
the home ministry had too many flaws.

Instead of providing a term of reference for direct
presidential elections, the bill on general elections merely
provides guidance for legislative elections.

Syamsuddin said this was not in line with the third amendment
to the Constitution that was endorsed last year. According to the
third amendment general elections to elect legislators at the
House, Assembly and provincial and regency legislatures are to be
held in conjunction with direct presidential elections.

Syamsuddin also criticized the bills for limiting the number
of legislative seats to 550, saying there were no legal or
pragmatic reasons for the figure.

He said that the number of seats should be put in the bill on
the composition of the MPR, the DPR, the Regional Legislative
Council (DPRD), and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

In addition, Syamsuddin proposed that the General Election
Commission (KPU) should be independent and its secretariat must
be run by an independent secretary-general who is loyal to the
commission leadership, instead of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The issue of the KPU leadership has been the main concern of
pro-reform activists.

They say all the regulations in the bill will be rendered
useless if the KPU is not independent.

Syamsuddin feared that the article in the election bill that
stipulates that the secretary-general will be from the home
ministry could create anomalies in the election process at either
the central or regional level.

"We must ensure that the bills will not revive the influence
of the government on the political parties," Ikrar added,
referring to the practice during the New Order regime.

The House has set up two special committees to deliberate the
two bills but the deliberation is expected to take a long time to
complete.