Local elections to be held before June 10

Local elections to be held before June 10

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the General Elections Commission
(KPU) Rudini inaugurated on Wednesday 51 members of the Local
Elections Committee (PPL) who will organize elections
simultaneously in the newly established provinces and regencies
before June 10.

Agus Miftah from the Indonesian People's Party (PARI) chairs
the committee, with Golkar Party's Mahadi Sinambela, who is now
the state minister of youth affairs and sports, Djuhad Mahja of
the United Development Party (PPP), Hasan Pottaboga of the
Indonesian Nationalist Party-Front Marhaen (PNI-FM) and Afan
Gaffar representing the government, sitting as deputy chairmen.

Agus said after the inauguration ceremony that the planned
polls were to elect regional legislative councils in three new
provinces -- North Maluku, Central Irian Jaya and East Irian Jaya
-- and 32 new regencies, including Pidie and North Aceh in the
troubled province of Aceh.

"The exact date for the elections will be determined on
Monday's meeting, which will constitute the committee's time
table," he said.

The government decided last month to divide Maluku into two
provinces and Irian Jaya into three provinces, in a bid to
accelerate development programs and improve the socioeconomic
status of people in these areas.

Agus said the committee will meet on Thursday with the
minister of home affairs, who represents the government, to
consult over the details of the operational mechanisms of the
polls.

He explained further that the mechanism would be similar to
that which was applied in last June's election, albeit with a few
modifications, such as adopting mandatory indoor rallies to avoid
conflicts between party supporters.

"The first step is to establish a regional committee to
organize the local elections and make a list of prospective
voters", he said, adding that the KPU would supervise this.

Agus admitted that it would face some administrative and
security problems in Pidie and North Aceh regencies and North
Maluku province.

"A lot of village offices have been destroyed in Aceh,
therefore it will be difficult for us to establish regional poll
committees in those areas," he said.

He said he had anticipated security problems in the two Aceh
regencies.

Pidie and North Aceh did not hold elections in June due to
security concerns while North Maluku has been rocked by communal
clashes in the past few months.

Nevertheless, Agus vowed that the show must go on. He said he
had asked both the military and community leaders to maintain
peace and security, so that the polls could run safely and
fairly.

Agus said planned polls would increase the number of House of
Representative (DPR) members by 32 and People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) members by 15.

According to Election Law No. 4/1999, each regency should be
represented in the DPR and each province deserves five
representatives in the MPR.

Agus estimated the upcoming elections would cost the KPU
between Rp 300 billion and Rp 400 billion.

"KPU has saved a stand-by loan from the state budget amounting
Rp 200 billion. If the committee agrees, we will ask for Rp 200
billion more from the state budget," he said.

Agus said if the government could not afford to provide the
extra funds, the committee would seek international funding, such
as from the United Nations Development Program, which donated
money at time of the June elections.

The KPU has also set up seven working committees which are
responsible for, among other things, assessing the implementation
of election laws and regulations, the election process, the
budget and any irregularities during the voting. (02)