Panwaslu-KPU row over poll results takes new turn

JAKARTA (JP): Controversy over the official Election Supervisory Committee's authority to validate results of the poll in the absence of approval by the General Elections Commission (KPU) continued on Wednesday.

Commission chairman Rudini regretted a claim made by the committee's deputy chairman, Todung Mulya Lubis, that KPU members would not approve poll results and that the commission was to "take over" the committee's role in validating the results.

"The statement of the committee's deputy chairman has obviously damaged KPU's image," Rudini said, referring to the supervisory committee.

"At least it would lead to a public opinion that KPU is obstructing the post-election process," he said after chairing a KPU plenary meeting on Wednesday.

He dismissed reports that the commission members, especially from minority parties, had intentions of disrupting subsequent stages of the elections.

"I know them (representatives of minority parties) well. They have the commitment to make the June 7 election a success," he said.

Rudini was commenting on Lubis' statement on Tuesday, which said that the supervisory committee would be ready to conduct an investigation if any of the KPU members declined to approve the final poll results.

KPU members, many from minority parties, have demanded a review over a rule saying the supervisory committee is authorized to validate poll results, while the election law says the authority lies with KPU.

Several KPU members expressed reservations of signing the results until all violations were settled. The supervisory committee said all reports of violations were sent to the Supreme Court for further action.

The rule at the center of debate is Government Decree No. 33/1999 on Practical Guidelines for the General Elections issued in May.

The supervisory committee's authority, stipulated in the government decree, was backed on Wednesday by Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid and Minister of Justice Muladi.

"The government decree was established to anticipate a possible dispute over the validity of the final poll results," Syarwan said before a Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, Muladi said it was unreasonable to ask for a review of the decree because it was drawn up by all election-related institutions.

"It's strange if KPU members say that the government decree is irrelevant and needs to be reviewed," Muladi said.

Rudini said the members were far from intending to disrupt the stages of the poll.

"Our concern is that the public needs to be informed whether the election was fairly and honestly organized."

He also said the problem lay in the difference between the government decree and the 1999 electoral law on the institution authorized to validate the poll results.

In a related development, the Central Sulawesi Provincial Elections Committee decided on Wednesday to deploy three investigation teams to three subdistricts in Donggala regency, following reports of poll results manipulation.

Meanwhile, in Bandung, chairman of the West Java chapter of the Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU) Tb. Bakti Sudjana announced on Wednesday that his party withdrew its involvement in a stembus akoord (vote-sharing) agreement among 12 parties, saying the deal would only benefit big Muslim-oriented parties. (imn/prb/38/43)