New regencies not ready for local polls: Official

New regencies not ready for local polls: Official

PEKANBARU, Riau (JP): An assistant to the state minister of
regional autonomy, Andi Alfian Mallarangeng, urged planned
elections in newly formed provinces and regencies be postponed.

Mallarangeng said the areas' financial and security
preparations for the elections were insufficient.

"The planned local elections should be canceled because the
new provinces and regencies lack the necessary software. Social
conflicts are also still raging in those areas," he said during a
panel discussion here on Thursday.

Local elections originally were planned for June 1 following
the government's decision to increase the number of provinces in
Indonesia. Follow-up elections also are scheduled in some areas
of Aceh which could not hold elections last year due to security
concerns.

All told, local elections are planned for 43 regencies in
Aceh, and in the new provinces of North Maluku, West Papua and
Central Papua.

Mallarangeng, who is also a member of the General Elections
Commission (KPU), said given the present economic conditions, it
also would be financially burdensome to the government to
allocate the estimated Rp 220 billion required to hold the
elections.

He added that most political parties also would find it
difficult to mount serious campaigns given their expenditures in
the June 7 general election.

"Furthermore, numerous parties have proposed the government
give them Rp 500 million each for the elections.

"Nobody is barred from establishing parties, but don't ask the
government for money," he said.

Mallarangeng said it was important for local elections to be
held, but their success depended on whether conditions were
favorable for such an important undertaking.

Security, the availability of financing, the political
parties' preparedness to campaign and the participation of voters
are crucial factors that have to be taken into consideration, he
said.

Mallarangeng said the first step after postponing local
elections in some areas was simply to refer to the overall
results of the June 7 general election to ensure representation
for those areas.

For example, the provincial legislative council in North
Maluku could comprise parties in proportion to the results of the
June elections in all of Maluku.

Following this step, a more independent and professional
elections commission should be formed to organize the local
elections, he said.

The House of Representatives and the government recently
agreed to revise the law on general elections to pave the way for
the President to dissolve KPU and establish a new, independent
body.(11)