Panwaslu fights rule stripping its powers

Panwaslu fights rule stripping its powers

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta

The Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) has asked the
Supreme Court to review a planned move to strip the election
watchdog of some of its powers.

In a letter to the court, Panwaslu said the General Elections
Commission's (KPU) planned revision of regulation No. 88/2003
would hamper the committee's ability to monitor the presidential
elections. The revision would also make it difficult for the
committee to resolve disputes that could arise during the polls,
Panwaslu said.

Official Mashudi Ridwan said the KPU had no authority to limit
the committee's powers to rule on election disputes, especially
those involving the KPU. "We call on the Supreme Court to issue
an edict that stops the KPU from being answerable to no one," he
said here.

Panwaslu members held a plenary meeting on Tuesday to discuss
its response to the KPU's plan. They were to have held the
meeting on Monday but many members were away on official trips.

The KPU had earlier agreed substantial changes be made to the
regulation to encourage Panwaslu to "perform better".

The changes would ensure the committee was only entitled to
resolve disputes between electoral contestants. Panwaslu would
have no authority to handle issues arising between the KPU and
the candidates.

The KPU also seeks to require the committee submit a progress
report upon request, a radical departure from the current
regulation that only requires Panwaslu submit a report at the end
of its term.

However, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti brushed aside
suggestions the revision was intended to weaken the supervisory
committee. The changes were merely about focusing Panwaslu's
activities, he said.

Earlier, many Panwaslu members threatened to quit their posts,
should the KPU press ahead with its planned revisions.

Mashudi said that by establishing itself as answerable to no
one in electoral disputes, the KPU would stand against the
principle of equality before the law.

"The KPU will have to face the consequences if it opted to
disregard a Supreme Court ruling against it. And it would be easy
for us to take further court action," he said.

Any Supreme Court ruling against the changes would be non-
binding in nature.

The latest move from Panwaslu marks the worsening of its
already strained relationship with the KPU, which has
deteriorated in the months following the April 5 legislative
elections.

Article 120 of the General Elections Law No. 12/2003 says the
KPU has the ultimate authority over Panwaslu, including its
establishment and dissolution.