More parties qualify for 2004 elections
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Six more parties have been declared as eligible to contest the upcoming elections, bringing to 18 the total number of parties qualified for the legislative elections in 2004.
The six parties had met the requirement of having established branch offices and functional executive boards in two-thirds or 21 of the country's 32 provinces and in two-thirds of regencies or municipalities in those provinces, National Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin told a media conference on Saturday.
The parties declared as qualified for the elections on Saturday were the New Indonesia Alliance Party, Marhaenisme Indonesia National Party, United Democratic Nationhood Party, Indonesia Unity Party, Prosperous Peace Party and the Pancasila Patriotic Party.
"I hope these (six) parties are not the last (deemed to be eligible for the upcoming elections) because we still welcome complaints from political parties over our verification process," he said.
Nazaruddin was accompanied by KPU members Hamid Awaluddin, Anas Urbaningrum, Valina Singka Subekti and Mulyana W. Kusuma.
During the conference, Nazaruddin also introduced noted lawyer Amir Syamsuddin as the commission's defense counsel.
"I want to say that the KPU has a lawyer to handle possible legal challenges that might emerge due to the work of the KPU," he explained, saying that Amir was also dealing with other legal cases involving the commission.
Amir, who is not related to Nazaruddin, is known as one of the most expensive lawyers in the country.
The KPU is due on Sunday to announce the fate of 28 other political parties that also underwent field screening. Many of these are likely to fail to meet the minimum office requirement and will thus be disqualified from next year's elections.
Indonesia will hold its legislative elections in April 2004 and first- ever direct presidential election in July, with a possible second round in September in the event that the first fails to produce a clear winner.
A party must garner 5 percent of votes contested or 3 percent of legislative seats in order to field a candidate in the presidential elections. Otherwise, it must form a coalition with other parties.
Nazaruddin also offered his sympathy to parties that had failed the screening. The KPU declined to name the parties, claiming it was still awaiting the remaining reports on factual verification from several regions.
"They are the ones who decide (the screening results); not us. We only check and recheck their information (on the existence of political party offices across the country)," Nazaruddin said.
He added, "The KPU is tolerant of complaints because we know that they determine whether or not parties may participate in elections.
Mulyana explained that the KPU would respond only to complaints submitted by Saturday evening at the latest.
The KPU announced on Tuesday that 12 parties were eligible for next year's election, including six that had automatically qualified after passing the 2 percent electoral threshold in the 1999 elections.
The 12 were: the New Democratic Party, Prosperous Justice Party, Concern for the Nation Functional Party, Indonesia Justice and Unity Party, Reform Star Party, Freedom Bull National Party, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Golkar, United Development Party, National Awakening Party, National Mandate Party and the Crescent Star Party.
Parties declared eligible on Saturday No. Parties Chairperson 1. New Indonesia Alliance Party Sjahrir 2. Marhaenisme Indonesia National Party Sukmawati Soekarnoputri 3. United Democratic Nationhood Party Ryaas Rasyid 4. Indonesia Unity Party Rahardjo Tjakraningrat 5. Prosperous Peace Party Ruyandi Mustika Hutasoit 6. Pancasila Patriot Party Yapto Sulistio Soerjosoemarno