Major party leaders to compete in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Akbar Tandjung, Amien Rais, Hamzah Haz and Megawati Soekarnoputri, all leaders of major political parties, will join the competition for Jakarta's 18 seats in the House of Representatives.

The chairpersons of Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), respectively, are their parties legislative candidates for Jakarta.

PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Jacob Tobing confirmed on Tuesday Megawati had been nominated as a candidate from South Jakarta.

"She is the party's star," he said, adding that another party deputy chairman, Kwik Kian Gie, was named a legislative candidate for Jakarta.

PDI Perjuangan also has named Megawati its presidential candidate.

Hasballah M. Saad, deputy chairman of the National Elections Committee, confirmed that PAN had named Amien a legislative candidate for Jakarta.

"Amien was prepared to be nominated in any province, but Jakarta, which has the most votes, has him as one of their strongest candidates," he said

Djuhad Mahja, the United Development Party's representative on the General Elections Commission (KPU), said his party nominated chairman Hamzah Haz as a legislative candidate in Jakarta in an attempt to increase its votes in the city.

"We are optimistic that we will earn a major victory in Jakarta, as we have in the past," he said.

Mahadi Sinambela, Golkar Party's representative on the KPU, said Golkar was ready to compete with the other parties for the 18 seats in Jakarta.

He also said Aulia Rahman would run as a legislative candidate in Central Kalimantan, Effendy Yusuf in West Nusa Tenggara, Slamet Effendy Yusuf in Central Java, Andi Matalatta in South Sulawesi, Abu Hasan Sazili in Lampung and M. Muas in South Sumatra.

Golkar deputy chairmen Theo Sambuaga, Agung Laksono and Fahmi Idris were not nominated as legislative candidates, he said.

A representative of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Yahya, said party chairman Matori Abdul Djalil named himself a legislative candidate in Tegal, Central Java, while PKB secretary-general Iskandar Muhaimin nominated himself as a legislative candidate in Surabaya, East Java.

All 48 political parties contesting the elections were to submit their list of legislative candidates by 12:00 Tuesday night.

The General Elections Commission set a May 5 deadline for parties to submit their list of candidates for the House of Representatives to the General Elections Committee.

Parties also must submit their list of provincial legislative candidates to provincial elections committees and their list of regency legislative candidates to regency elections committees.

KPU chairman Rudini said his office would not tolerate late submission of the lists.

"If the parties fail to meet the deadline, KPU will wash its hands of them. We will only process lists of legislative candidates submitted on Tuesday at the latest," he said.

"Parties which are late in submitting their lists must face the consequences," he said.

Rudini said parties would be given the opportunity to complete necessary documents, such as doctor's certificates, by May 9.

By 6 p.m. on Tuesday, only 13 parties had submitted their list of House candidates. They included the National Labor Party (PBN), the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR), the Indonesian Workers Party (PPI), the Marhaenist Indonesian National Party and PKB.

In Yogyakarta, by Tuesday evening only 11 parties had submitted their list of legislative candidates to the provincial and regency elections committees.

None of the 33 party chapters in Southeast Sulawesi had submitted their legislative list to the local elections committees.

Separately, PAN chairman Amien Rais said at a gathering in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, that being a legislator was a tough job.

"When you are seated on a warm, comfortable chair... (as a legislator) you may forget the people that you represent. Therefore, remember that these seats are not free. You are there to voice the people's aspirations. We all are," Amien said.

Amien also urged prospective legislators to fight against corruption, collusion and nepotism. (44/edt/rms)