New election watch established

JAKARTA: A new non-governmental organization (NGO), the Gubernatorial Election Watch Committee (KP2G) was established on Sunday for the purpose of monitoring the gubernatorial election in October.

The KP2G was founded by youth activists belonging to several NGOs that had earlier been involved in monitoring the general elections in 1999, such as KIPP, UNFREL, JAMPI, Rector Forum, JEDAH, and JPPR, as well as the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) and Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH).

KP2G chairman Junaidi demanded that the next Jakarta governor should not have been involved in corruption, collusion and nepotism during the new order regime of former President Soeharto.

He said that the organization, which was formally established in the MH. Thamrin building on Jl. Kenari, Central Jakarta, rejected military candidates and other candidates who had no reform or democratic visions.

The new organization demanded wider public participation and transparency during the next gubernatorial election.

The City Council should listen more to the wishes of the public instead of just acting as a tool for certain powers or forces, the NGO urged. --JP