Political parties granted Rp 500m each for election
JAKARTA (JP): The three political parties contesting the May 29 general election were given Rp 500 million (US$ 206,782) each yesterday to finance their campaigns.
The funding -- for the dominant Golkar, the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) and the nationalist-Christian alliance Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- was delivered by Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. at a ceremony at the ministry yesterday.
This year's election funding is twice the sum given to the three parties for the 1992 general election. Each received Rp 250 million then.
Yogie also announced yesterday an increase in the government's monthly subsidy to the parties, from Rp 7.5 million to Rp 25 million.
The minister, who also chairs the General Elections Institute and the General Elections Committee which is organizing the 1997 general election, said he realized the amount was far less than the contestants needed. He suggested the three parties seek additional funding from other sources.
"That's all the government can give. I hope the government funding will stimulate a further flow of funding from other sources," he said.
The two minority parties, PPP and PDI, said they were disappointed with the amount.
PPP's secretary-general Tosari Wijaya said it was far less than expected.
"We expected Rp 1 billion (US$ 413,565)," he said after the ceremony marking the funding transfer.
The PPP needed another Rp 2.7 billion, he said.
PDI chairman Soerjadi said the amount did not even come close to the party's estimated spending up until the general election.
"We need Rp 20 billion to finance our activities, from election preparation up to election day," he said. "We asked for Rp 2 billion, but got only Rp 500 million."
Soerjadi said, that apart from the newly received funding, the PDI had less than Rp 500 million at hand to cover election spending.
On whether the PDI would ask for additional funding from the government, Soerjadi said: "It would be better if not to ask for additional funding if it means begging for pity from the government."
Separately, political expert Indria Samego of the National Institute of Sciences suggested yesterday regulations be established for the mobilization of funding for each political contestant.
"Political parties are always dependent on the government when they organize congresses and seminars, or when they take part in general elections," Indria said as quoted by Antara yesterday.
"It is, therefore, difficult for the political contestants, especially the PPP and the PDI, to get supporters and provide political education for the people," he said.
The three political contestants will compete in the election for 425 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives. The remaining 75 seats will be allocated to the Armed Forces, whose members do not vote.
The General Elections Institute announced yesterday the Final List of Legislative Candidates for the general election. It had eight names less than the Provisional List of Legislative Candidates.
Four of the eight candidates dropped from the list were from the PPP; the others were from Golkar.
Three of the PPP candidates -- Abdul Hamid of West Java, Mochammad Anwar Nurris of East Java and Saiful Ahmad Haulusy -- died. The other candidate, Yudo Paripurno, withdrew from the race.
Golkar's secretary general Ary Mardjono said two Golkar candidates -- Achmad Pawennei of South Sulawesi and Wahyono of West Nusa Tenggara -- withdrew. The other two candidates -- Abdul Rani Ramelan and Mochtar Abdul Kadir, both from East Java -- were dropped for various reasons.
Golkar now has 825 candidates, PPP 720 candidates, while PDI still has 744 candidates for the House.
The final list of legislative candidates will be formally distributed to the public today. (imn)
Votes -- Page 2