Major changes in political laws sought

JAKARTA (JP): While demanding for "true implementation" of democracy in the country, political observers suggested on Tuesday that major changes be made in three 1999 laws on politics.

J. Kristiadi, deputy director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Andi A. Mallarangeng of the State Institute for Public Administration (IIP) and Syamsuddin Harris of the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said the stagnant reform process and democratization had a correlation with existing loopholes in the political laws.

"Political parties are yet to be committed to democratic principles.

"Therefore the electoral system and the relationship between state institutions must be reviewed, while the House of Representatives must be reorganized to help keep the nation on the right track to democracy," Kristiadi said in a seminar on political laws.

He warned that reformation could turn counterproductive and that "an authoritarian regime" could return to power if the nation took a wrong path in fostering democracy.

Kristiadi said that the law on political parties should be reviewed to encourage the parties to democratically handle their internal matters.

"So far, none of the existing political parties are really democratic. They have yet to educate their members and supporters on democracy," he said, while citing that many party congresses had turned to violence or become an arena for power struggle.

He said the law should regulate democratic mechanisms for party member recruitments, holding congresses, electing chairpersons and nominating legislative candidates.

Syamsuddin said the law should contain strict rules on fund raising.

"Besides giving their financial accountability speeches in their annual congresses, the finances of political parties must also be audited by public accountants or the Supreme Audit Agency.

"Parties should be barred from doing business," he said, while adding that the law should regulate money politics.

Meanwhile, Mallarangeng said the House and the government should make a decision on the implementation of the district system and direct presidential election in the next general election, along with the implementation of regional autonomy next January.

"The current proportional system is undemocratic and deceitful as the people cast their votes not for their candidates but for the parties. It's groundless to say that the people are not ready for the new electoral system," he said.

He said if the district system was adopted in the 2004 elections, people would vote for candidates of their choice for the House, while the representatives would strive to fight for the people's interests.

"Besides being more qualified, legislators representing their own districts will have an emotional relationship with their constituents. Their parties would no longer be able recall outspoken members in the legislative body, either," he said.

With the district system, he said, the number of parties would decrease to the minimum because small parties would dissociate.

"There are numerous political parties in the United States, but only the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are the most popular and only their presidential candidates have competed in elections," he said.

He also said that many of the existing parties could become local parties if they gained seats in legislative councils of provinces or districts.

He said the Indonesian Unity in Diversity Party (PBI) which gained seats in several regencies in West Kalimantan in the 1999 elections, should be included in the local party category and be allowed to contend in the next elections in the province.

Kristiadi suggested that armed forces and police should be given the same opportunity as civil servants to cast their votes for their representatives in elections so that they would not have nonelected seats at the House and at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"The military and the police should not be given exclusive treatment. Their participation in elections will not cause divisions and frictions in their organization," he said.

According to a 1999 MPR decree, the military and the police representation in the House and Assembly will be cease in 2004 and 2009 respectively. (rms)