Only 48 parties to contest election

Only 48 parties to contest election

BUDAPEST: President Megawati Soekarnoputri predicted here on Monday that out of the 200 political parties that had registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, only 48 would qualify for the general election in 2004.

"The 1999 election was contested by 48 political parties. The 2004 election will have more or less the same number of contestants," Megawati said at a get-together with members of the Indonesian community living in Budapest.

Megawati said the birth of new political parties in recent years had raised the question whether all of them would be automatically eligible for participation in the 2004 polls.

"I think, that is unfeasible. There must be a selection process under the law on general elections," she said as quoted by Antara.

Megawati said the government would conduct a simulation of a general election participated in by more than 50 political parties. -- Antara