Political parties urged to avoid internal rifts

JAKARTA (JP): The three political organizations have been told to avoid internal conflicts which might emerge after submitting the names of their legislative candidates.

Deputy chairman of the Jakarta election committee, Idroes, said yesterday that the organizations will be held responsible for any negative impact caused by the lists of legislative candidates.

The lists are produced by the organizations and some of their members might not be satisfied with them. "It's impossible for the organizations to satisfy every member," Idroes, who is deputy governor for administrative affairs, said.

"But I am sure the leaders of the political organizations can neutralize any differing opinions among their members so as not to trigger any rifts among the people," Idroes said after receiving lists of legislative candidates from the organizations' leaders.

He said it is imperative that the organizations help the government create stability in the capital city until the general election, scheduled to be held next year.

The ruling Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) have submitted 120 names of candidates who will compete for 75 seats at the city council.

The secretary of the committee, Bagus Soeharyono, said that the upcoming election will elect 60 councilors while the remaining 15 will be appointed.

Chairman of Golkar Jakarta's chapter, Tadjus Sobirin, said that most of the candidates on the organization's list are newcomers and only nine of the current 39 councilors are being renominated.

"We're only keeping nine councilors to be re-elected in the upcoming general election," Tadjus said, but he refused to name the candidates.

Meanwhile, most of the 15 councilors from PPP will have a chance to be re-elected as their names are among those included on the list.

"M. Rodja is the only councilor whose name is not on the list, but the remaining 14 have a chance to be re-elected," Yusuf Hamdani, chairman of the party's faction, said.

The party is expecting to win 20 seats in the city council, an increase from 15 in the last election.

The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) is retaining seven of its 12 councilors to participate in the next general election. (yns)