New KPUD feared to disrupt election process in Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

The planned establishment of Local General Elections Commission (KPUD) in the soon to be declared province of West Irian Jaya, will disrupt the preparations for the polls in the whole of Papua next year, an official says.

Chairman of the KPUD in Papua Marthen Ferry Kareth said that low turn-out would be the worst consequence of the disruption because the new election commission would not have adequate time to prepare for the polls, which are less than seven months away.

"It's better not to form a KPUD in West Irian Jaya because we are already at the stage of verifying Regional Representative Council member candidates and registration of political parties contesting the election.

"If we force ourselves to establish the KPUD there, all the things that we have achieved will go to the trash can. Besides, will the new KPUD be able to race against time?" Marthen said.

The acting West Irian Jaya Governor, Bram O. Atururi, asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta to form an election commission in the planned province after the KPU announced the provisional allocation of House of Representatives seats for the April 5, 2004 election.

Papua will have 10 House seats up for grabs, while West Irian Jaya three.

The KPU reserved House seats for West Irian Jaya in anticipation of the government's decision to formalize the new province in the near future.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri instructed the precipitation of the establishment of West Irian Jaya and Central Irian Jaya provinces early this year, sparking legal controversy due to the enactment of the law on special autonomy status for Papua which suggests that the Papuan People's Assembly be consulted on the partition.

The government has been reluctant to form the assembly -- which would incorporate three people from each regency representing the community, religion and women -- across the province, for fear that the new institution would emerge as a superbody.

Government regulations are being drafted to reduce the power of the assembly.

Marthen said the next election would be far different from the previous ones and it would take a long time for the provincial elections commission to disseminate all electoral information to the people.

"There are a lot of new things to inform (people about). People in remote areas may not understand how to cast ballots and their votes will be considered invalid," said Marthen.

Despite its rich natural resources, Papua is said to be one of the country's most underdeveloped provinces.

Marthen said the formation of a KPUD in West Irian Jaya would also hamper the election process of the Regional Representative Council (DPD).

"All DPD candidates who have won support from people in regencies under the jurisdiction of the West Irian Jaya province will have to start from square one as they have to register with the new KPUD," Marthen said.

A DPD candidate representing Papua needs at least 2,000 supporters.

As of Friday only 29 DPD member candidates have registered with the KPUD, with only three of them completing the required documents.

"It's because a candidate finds it difficult to collect the signatures of supporters who mostly live in remote areas," he said.

A province is entitled to four DPD seats according to the law.