Panwaslu left holding the bag of responsibility

Panwaslu left holding the bag of responsibility

By Sri-Edi Swasono

JAKARTA (JP): As reported by the media last week, a total of
17 out of 48 political parties have endorsed the general election
results, although some of them have jotted down addendum. They
have the right to do so. It is also the right of another group of
27 mostly minor political parties to reject the results, because
they have their valid reasons.

The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) is therefore
tasked not only to evaluate the reasons for the 27 parties to
refuse to sign the election results, but it must also be able to
hold a dialog and make new agreements with all other members of
the General Elections Commission (KPU), both with those who have
signed the results as well as those who have not.

Unfortunately, Panwaslu is threatening to penalize the 27
political parties (Terbit, July 28). If Panwaslu brings the case
to court, the legality of the general election must await the
court's decision. That would be very stupid. The 27 political
parties will be happy to face the lawsuit.

To strong-arm the 27 political parties is tantamount to
threatening to sue Rudini himself, who is no less than the KPU
chairman. After all, what has Panwaslu done? Or the other
election supervisors and observers, including NGO activists, the
private sector and the universities, who received a lot of
funding, much from abroad?

Apparently, they have let irregularities and violations go
unsolved. It is curious that Panwaslu is now threatening the
parties. Will the general election results be legal if they are
decided under such threats?

It is disappointing that the KPU has rejected the general
election results. And it is only this week that the status of the
general election results will be made public. The KPU chairman
has disclaimed responsibility, as has President B.J. Habibie, who
has deferred the case to Panwaslu to make the final decision.

The results of the general election are there to see. The
majority of votes have been channeled, although there are some
flaws. President Habibie too has extended his congratulations to
the winners of the general election. The votes obtained by the
other parties, including the accompanying flaws, should be
accepted as legal by all sides as the results of the general
election. It is certain that to reach this consensus a strong
national leadership is required.

Rudini's role should not stop with the submission of the
problems to the President. His leadership is expected to continue
to break through the impasse. Rudini is a member of the minor
Deliberation, Work and Cooperation (MKGR) Party that did not get
enough votes, but he is also chairman of the KPU and the people
have put their hopes on him. Rudini should not disappoint the
people. It is questionable that Rudini, as an MKGR member, has
refused to sign. Is it because the general election is really not
honest and fair? Rudini needs to give an open explanation.

The general election is the result of a great national effort.
Many sacrifices have been made. It is not only the government
that has spent energy and funds. The common people, too, have
actively supported the government's limited funds and capability
to make it happen. Without the people's help, the general
election would not have run smoothly. The national sacrifice
should not be wasted.

Hopefully, the general election results, with their
shortcomings, will be accepted by all sides without anyone losing
face. There must be some give-and-take by all sides, without the
Panwaslu style of threatening. Those parties refusing to sign
must be an integral part of the success of the general election.

Fraud and manipulation must indeed be settled legally to
respect honesty and fairness. These will be pending matters that
must be accepted by all sides. We must respect the general
election. The general election must have results, but we should
not be satisfied if they are less than 100 percent honest and
fair.

In the past we had the Provisional People's Consultative
Assembly (MPRS). If necessary, we can have a Preliminary People's
Consultative Assembly (MPRP). The MPRP may exist provisionally
while treating all violations in the general election as pending
matters that must be settled before the establishment of the
final MPR. It is important to keep a clear time frame for these
pending matters.

The writer is a member of the National Front, a group of
opposition political figures.