PDI, PPP hail poll watchdog

PDI, PPP hail poll watchdog

JAKARTA (JP): The independent body established last week to
monitor the 1997 general election has found strong support from
the minority parties but has been fiercely rejected by the ruling
Golkar organization.

Politicians Soerjadi from the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) and Aisyah Amini from the United Development Party (PPP)
said on Saturday that they hope the Independent Election
Monitoring Committee will help improve the election.

Golkar legislator Andi Mattalata, however, maintained that the
monitoring body must be rejected on the grounds that it is not
covered in the existing laws and thus the validity of their
findings will be questionable.

Soerjadi, deputy House speaker from the PDI, said the
formation of the independent poll watchdog is a good initiative
as a form of public participation in electoral supervision.

"I strongly back the committee. I am sure its formation will
inspire more people to go to the polls because it is manned by
people of integrity," he told The Jakarta Post.

Founded on Friday by more than 50 journalists, lawyers,
statesmen, academics and activists, the committee is chaired by
Goenawan Mohamad, former editor-in-chief of the Tempo weekly that
the government closed down in 1994.

Numerous government officials expressed their objections to
the committee long before it came into being. They argue that
Indonesia already has an official state poll supervision body
(Panwaslak), which caters for all the contestants.

Soerjadi, a former PDI chief, said activists of the
independent poll watchdog should be prepared to face pressure
when they try to do their jobs next year.

"Even PDI and PPP representatives who have all the permits to
become witnesses in ballot counting were subject to intimidation
in the past," he said.

According to Soerjadi, past elections have been far form "fair
and honest" as the government has always claimed.

Aisyah Amini, chief of the House of Representatives Commission
I for foreign affairs, defense and information, said she welcomed
the independent committee.

However, she said she was rather pessimistic whether its
findings will be recognized because it has no legal basis.

"Since it has no legal basis, alleged riggings it uncovers
cannot be brought to trial. Besides, its findings will lack
credibility," she said.

The PPP has claimed that in past elections fraud was
commonplace. A number of its branches have threatened to boycott
the 1997 election unless the government guarantees fairness.

Aisyah advised activists of the independent poll watchdog to
witness the implementation of next year's election in remote
areas where "innocent" villagers are usually pressurized to vote
for Golkar.

"I am afraid they will find no fraud here in the capital
because the people are more educated and supervision works
better," she said.

In the past some government officials in remote areas did not
register voters whom they believed would vote for the PPP, she
said as an example of dishonest practices.

Andi Mattalata, secretary of the Golkar faction in the House
of Representatives, said the independent poll watchdog is not
what Indonesia needs to improve the election.

"I think what we need is a more effective official poll
committee. The independent monitoring body will only muddle the
election because it has no legal basis. The validity of its
findings will therefore not be recognized."

In the future, alleged riggings as reported by the official
state poll monitoring body should be settled openly as the PPP
and PDI have always demanded, he said. (pan)