More parties qualify for 2004 elections
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