Megawati, Kwik lead PDI-P squad to House

JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri and Kwik Kian Gie have both secured House of Representative seats and look certain to lead a big Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) contingent in the legislative body.

Results of the latest vote count issued by some provincial election committees in Java ensured PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati and her deputy Kwik of clinching House seats representing Bandung regency and Jakarta constituencies respectively.

According to Law No. 3 on the General Election, a regency or mayoralty is allocated at least one House seat. This means the winning party takes the minimum House seat allocation for a regency or mayoralty.

Megawati will be joined by staunch loyalist Mangara Siahaan, who represents Bandung mayoralty, renowned economist Laksamana Sukardi of Sukabumi regency, former secretary for development control and operation Solichin G.P. of Sumedang regency and noted lawyer Tumbu Saraswati of Pandeglang regency.

PDI Perjuangan dominated the June 7 polls in at least 16 regencies and mayoralties.

As of Monday afternoon, the provisional tally of the votes issued by the General Elections Commission (KPU) put PDI Perjuangan on top in Jakarta with 1,000, 389 votes. The capital's residents do not vote for mayoralty candidates.

If the minimum requirement for a House seat in the capital city is estimated at about 400,000, Kwik -- who, after chairman of PDI Perjuangan's Jakarta chapter Roy Janis, is second in the party's list of legislative candidates -- will qualify for the House.

Former House legislators Sabam Sirait and Aberson Marle Sihaloho, who was jailed for defaming former president Soeharto in 1996, have a good chance of joining their two colleagues.

Java is a proven stronghold of PDI Perjuangan. The party dominates the counting of returns in three out of five provinces in the densely populated island. The party has garnered at least 45 House seats from Java.

In Central Java alone the party has won 16 of 60 seats up for grabs. Deputy chairman Dimyati Hartono, representing Cilacap regency, former chairman of the government-sanctioned Indonesian Youth Committee Cahyo Kumolo, who represents Grobogan regency and Sukoharjo regency's representative Koes Moertiyah, a daughter of Surakarta sultan Pakubuwono X, are among PDI Perjuangan cadres who have secured places in the next House.

The United Development Party (PPP) captured at least one House seat after topping the polls in Jepara, 60 kilometers northeast of the provincial capital of Semarang.

Chairman of PDI Perjuangan's East Java chapter, Soetjipto, who represents Surabaya, Megawati's brother Guruh Soekarnoputra, representing Blitar regency, renowned soothsayer Permadi of Madiun regency, Meilono Suwondo of Madiun mayoralty and Haryanto Taslam, a party executive who was abducted by a group of Special Forces (Kopassus) troops prior to the fall of Soeharto, are among 23 PDI Perjuangan East Java representatives assured of winning legislative seats.

The party is an inch away from a clean sweep in Yogyakarta and Bali, taking 14 out of 15 House seats reserved for the two provinces.

Former legislator Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of Sleman heads the triumphant PDI Perjuangan team to the House. The party has secured five of six seats up for grabs after winning in all five regencies and the sole mayoralty in Yogyakarta.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) took a slender lead over PDI Perjuangan in East Java, having booked 24 of 68 House seats allocated for the province. The ruling Golkar has grabbed eight seats, while PPP and the National Mandate Party (PAN) clinched three each.

PKB dominated the polls in areas which in the past were Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Party strongholds, including Gresik, Banyuwangi, Pasuruan, Pamekasan and Sampang. The last two areas are on Madura Island.

In a related development, on Monday a group of minor parties threatened the KPU they would not sign poll results in East Java, after they failed to win House seats.

Chairman of the United Party (PP) provincial chapter Andi Sudirman said in Surabaya the elections would only create injustices and inequality if the KPU did not provide the tiny parties with at least a seat each.

"We have fought it out to encourage democratization in the country by establishing parties. We deserve House seats for our efforts," Sudirman said.

Chairman of the provincial elections committee Bisri A. Djalil, ruled out the demand, saying it violated both the election law and the essence of democracy.

"To me it's a bizarre suggestion, but we will listen to it. Everything is up to all parties contesting the polls," Bisri said.(43/45/nur/amd)