Parties yet to report source of their funds
Parties yet to report source of their funds
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The commitment of political parties that will contest next year's
elections to transparency is in doubt as they remain reluctant to
disclose the source of their initial campaign funds to the
General Elections Commission (KPU), a week after the deadline.
KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said all the 24 parties
had submitted the bank accounts where they keep their campaign
funds, but only eight had informed the KPU of the initial amount
of the funds.
Ramlan identified the parties that had informed the KPU of the
initial campaign funds in their accounts as follows: The
Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme), the
Socialists Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), Crescent Star Party
(PBB), the United Development Party (PPP), the United Democratic
Nationhood Party (PPDK), the Democratic Party, the Indonesian
Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI) and the Indonesian Nahdlatul
Community Party (PPNUI).
Two parties, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Reform
Star Party (PBR) that had submitted more than one account must
decide to use only one account.
Based on the Election Law, a party must separate the party's
account and its campaign fund account.
Ramlan said the KPU would send letters to those parties to
remind the parties of their responsibility to disclose the source
of their campaign funds as mandated by law.
"That information is important to detect the flow of the
campaign funds of a party, which is subject to audit by public
accountants," he said.
But he admitted the KPU could not do anything about the
parties' refusal to reveal the source of campaign funds as
according to the Election Law the request is not binding.
Observers have criticized the law for not encouraging
transparency and accountability.
Separately, chairman of the Maluku Regional Elections
Commission (KPUD) Tatuhey Jusuf Idrus said six major political
parties had threatened not to submit their lists of candidates
for the provincial legislature following the House of
Representatives' failure to amend the Election Law.
Chairman of Papua KPUD Ferry Kareth said major parties in
Papua were also disappointed but dismissed any move to disrupt
the election schedule.
KPU has allocated Maluku, Papua and North Sulawesi fewer seats
in the 2004 elections than in 1999 as they have to share their
seats with the new provinces that used to be part of them.
Maluku will have four House seats at stake, down from six in
1999, Papua 10 from 13 and North Sulawesi six from seven.
Parties Account balance
1. Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme) Rp
1.5 million
2. Socialists' Democratic Labor Party (PBSD) Rp 1 million
3. Crescent Star Party (PBB) Rp 5 million
4. Freedom Party no report
5. United Development Party (PPP) Rp 1 million
6. United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK) Rp 2 million
7. New Indonesia Alliance Party (PPIB) no report
8. Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK) no report
9. Democratic Party Rp 5 million
10. Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKP Indonesia) no report
11. Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI) Rp 1 million
12. Indonesian Nahdlatul Community Party (PPNUI)Rp 2 million
13. National Mandate Party (PAN) no report
14. Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) no report
15. National Awakening Party (PKB) no report
16. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) no report
17. Reform Star Party (PBR) no report
18. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)no report
19. Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) no report
20. Golkar Party no report
21. Pancasila Patriots' Party Rp 2 million
22. Indonesian Unity Party (PSI) no report
23. Regional United Party (PPD) no report
24. Pioneers' Party no report