Major party leaders to compete in Jakarta

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)