Parties ready for direct presidential election in 2004

Parties ready for direct presidential election in 2004

JAKARTA (JP): Despite ongoing discussions to amend the 1945
Constitution, political parties expressed on Tuesday their
readiness to contend a direct presidential election in 2004.

The Golkar Party challenged other political parties to make
the necessary changes to the Constitution to let the people elect
their national leader in 2004 as well as to improve the quality
of democracy in the country in the future.

"Golkar has long since been ready for direct presidential and
vice presidential elections and it will be better if all parties
agree to it in 2004," Akbar Tandjung, chairman of the Golkar
Party, said here on Tuesday.

Akbar, also speaker of the House of Representatives, said
Golkar was optimistic of a major victory in 2004 as it had come
second in the 1999 general election.

"Golkar has numerous popular figures to win the general
election and presidential and vice presidential elections," he
said, stating that the general election to elect legislators
should be separated from the presidential and vice presidential
election.

Slamet Effendy Yusuf, deputy chairman of Golkar, said the
direct presidential election should be based both on the popular
vote and electoral votes to avoid future presidents coming from
densely-populated Java.

"Besides the popular vote, the next direct presidential
election should be based on electoral districts to allow
candidates from outside of Java to become president. If it is
based purely on the popular vote, future presidents will come
from Java because at least 60 percent of the population is in
Java," he said.

Slightly different to Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) wants the direct presidential
election to be part and parcel of the general election, for
reasons of efficiency.

"All parties contending the next elections should
simultaneously nominate their presidential and vice presidential
candidates. And the party which gains a single majority in the
elections will automatically rule without a presidential election
by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). If no party gains a
single majority, another election should be held," Jacob Tobing,
a legislator of PDI Perjuangan, said.

The United Development Party (PPP), National Awakening Party
(PKB) and the People's Sovereignty Party (PDU) also threw their
weight behind the proposed direct presidential election in order
to strengthen the institution of the presidency.

"With direct presidential and vice presidential elections, the
next government's position remains strong because the MPR could
not impeach a president arbitrarily as happened recently," said
Yusuf Muhammad, chairman of the PKB faction in the Assembly.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) hailed the proposed direct
presidential election, but said the MPR should select the state
leadership duo as a package comprising presidential and vice
presidential candidates. There would be two packages put forward,
one from each of the parties that had come respectively first and
second in the general election.

"So, our party is very eager to implement the direct
presidential election in 2004, but the MPR should determine two
packages of candidates from which a selection is made," Hatta
Radjasa, secretary-general of PAN, said.

Soediarto, spokesman for the societal group faction said that
to have a wise and suitable president, the presidential election
should continue to be conducted by the MPR because a majority of
the people knew nothing about presidential candidates and tasks.

Meanwhile, factions in the MPR were still divided over the
MPR's composition, its tasks and the electoral system, depending
on the presidential election.

All factions, minus the societal group representatives
faction, have agreed to revamp the MPR to become a joint session
comprising the House of Representatives and regional
representatives (DPD) tasked with constitutional and impeachment
affairs.

Jacob Tobing, chairman of the Assembly's Ad Hoc Subcommittee,
said almost all factions were of the same opinion that the MPR
should only have members who were elected through general
elections and its main tasks would be to make a new constitution
or constitutional amendments and to carry out impeachment if the
direct presidential election was accepted.

"This will also mean that both the Indonesian Military and
societal groups will have no representatives in the MPR in the
future," he said.

The present Constitution stipulates that besides making new
laws, the MPR has as its tasks the elect of a president and a
vice president. (rms)