Parties demand state funding for presidential drive
Parties demand state funding for presidential drive
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite the government call for political parties to be
financially independent, some factions at the House of
Representatives (DPR) are demanding that the state provide
presidential candidates with campaign funds.
They said the funds would help ease the high cost of financing
a campaign for the candidates and their running mates.
Agun Gunandjar Gunarsa said the proposal came from the Golkar
faction and it had won other factions' support.
He said the amount of funding allocated to presidential
candidates would be adjusted according to the state's finances.
The election law passed last year ensures that political
parties are able to use taxpayers' money to fund their
operational costs and election campaigns.
The presidential election bill being deliberated at the House
does not stipulate anything about state funds allocated to
parties to finance their presidential election campaign.
According to the Constitution, presidential candidates have to
represent a political party or a group of political parties.
Deputy chairman of the House special committee deliberating
the presidential election bill, Chozin Chumaidy of the United
Development Party (PPP), confirmed a proposal to insert an
article on government assistance for parties contesting the
presidency.
He said the state funds were demanded on the grounds that the
presidential election is part of the national agenda.
"This will strengthen the candidate's commitment to serve the
people if he or she is elected president," Chozin added.
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
legislator Agustin Teras Narang refused to comment on the
proposal.
"We have to listen to every opinion," he told a media
conference here on Thursday.
Teras, who chairs the House committee deliberating the
presidential bill, said legislators were discussing the bill and
the government had not given its approval.
During the media briefing, Teras said there were some
unresolved issues left in the bill's deliberation. Those issues,
he said, would be settled in discussions among faction leaders
and the minister of home affairs.
The contentious issues being discussed include the schedule
for the presidential election, the requirements of presidential
candidates, the electoral threshold for political parties to
nominate candidates and the election campaign.
The House remains divided on whether to organize a
simultaneous legislative and presidential election or to hold
separate ones.
The bill, outlined by the Ministry of Home Affairs, suggested
that the presidential election be held after the election of
legislative members.
Minor factions the United Development Party (PPP), the Reform
Party, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Indonesian
Nationhood Unity (PDU) have opposed the proposal to organize
separate elections, citing it would be inefficient.