Only 1,600 pass KPU screening
Only 1,600 pass KPU screening
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced on Tuesday that
only 1,611 of 8,871 legislative candidates have passed the first
screening, with none from, among others, the National Awakening
Party (PKB) and the Reform Star Party (PBR).
A small number of legislative aspirants failed absolutely to
pass KPU verification as they did not meet the minimum age
requirement of 21, but the KPU did not provide any figures.
The remaining aspirants who had did not meet requirements in
the verification have been given an opportunity to complete the
required documentation by 4 p.m. on Jan. 19.
KPU member in charge of legislative aspirant verification Anas
Urbaningrum said most candidates who did not pass the
administrative screening failed to declare their wealth and
submit bills on their health status or crime records from the
court.
"We have just completed the assessment on 21 of 24 parties
except for the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Socialist
Democratic Labor Party (PBSD) and Freedom Party (Partai Merdeka).
We are still calculating the proportion of male and female
candidates," Anas told a press conference.
He said that during the extended period to complete required
documentation until Jan. 19, parties were banned from adding new
male candidates but were allowed to nominate female candidates in
particular electoral districts where they remained unable to
comply with the 30 percent quota for women, as suggested by the
election law.
The KPU also warned parties against replacing candidates
unless the nominees had been disqualified.
Parties are also prohibited from moving aspirants from one
electoral district to another or adding to the original list of
legislative candidates in an electoral district.
There will be 69 electoral districts across the country
offering 550 House of Representatives seats in the general
election in April. Some 145 million people are registered as
eligible voters.
The KPU will publicly announce the final list of legislative
aspirants on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29.
Earlier in the day, the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro)
lashed out at parties for failing to meet their promise to raise
women's representation in the legislative bodies.
Cetro director Smita Notosusanto said although some parties
might have passed the minimum quota for women, female candidates
might not be elected as they were ranked at the bottom.
Cetro's conclusion was based on its analysis of four parties:
the National Mandate Party (PAN), National Awakening Party (PKB),
United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party
(PKS).
Taking an example, Cetro said that among PAN women candidates,
who account for 32 percent of its aspirants, only half were on
top of the list. Over 29 percent of PKB candidates were women,
but only 16.4 percent of them were ranked first or second.
Smita also expressed disappointment at the KPU for not
announcing an interim list of legislative candidates as this has
left the public unable to scrutinize parties' commitment to
women's representation in the House.
With such poor commitment, she said, the women's agenda,
including education, health, violence against women and women-
trafficking, would not receive proper attention until the 2009
election.