No pressure from PDI-P: KPU

JAKARTA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) denied on Monday allegations that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) had pressured it to intervene in a row that involved the ruling party's East Kalimantan chapter.

"There was no such pressure... I will put my reputation on the line if we conceded to pressure," KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said.

He was referring to a meeting between the KPU, the East Kalimantan Provincial Elections Commission (KPUD) and local party leaders over the weekend, at which the KPUD decided to revoke its ban against the party's contesting the provincial legislative election.

The East Kalimantan KPUD had earlier dropped the PDI-P from the legislative election, as the party failed to submit its revised list of candidates by the Jan. 19 deadline, claiming internal conflicts.

Ramlan said the KPU annulled the East Kalimantan KPUD's decision and accepted the PDI-P's original candidacy list, which was valid because it was signed by both the head and secretary- general of the party's East Kalimantan chapter.

The secretary-general had earlier said he had never endorsed the list, which led to intra-party bickering. -- JP