Poll watchdogs eager to register

JAKARTA: At least three foreign agencies and 22 local organizations have taken application forms to be permitted to provide election monitors from the General Elections Commission (KPU), a KPU member says.

Valina Singka Subekti, who chairs the KPU's accreditation team for poll monitors, said that the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) of the United States, Transparency International of Germany, and the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia took forms on Wednesday, the first day of registration for would-be election monitors.

Among local organizations, the Rectors Forum, Indonesian Police Watch, the Public Education and Service Center of the University of Indonesia (P3M UI), the Indonesian Muslim Association (HMI), and the Indonesian People's Election Monitoring Network had already taken poll monitoring application forms.

Valina said the registration period for election monitors would run from Jan. 21 through March 10.

The country will hold its legislative elections on April 5, which will be participated in by a total of 24 parties.

Parties or coalitions of parties that garner 3 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives or 5 percent of the total votes up for grabs will be allowed to contest the first ever direct presidential election on July 5. A second round will be held in September if the first round fails to produce a clear winner.

"Referring to the technical guidelines on election monitoring (issued by the KPU), once prospective poll monitors apply with us, we will verify them in three days at the maximum and give them seven days to submit additional or corrected documents, should this be required," Valina told a press conference on Wednesday.

Local and overseas organizations, overseas legislatures, governments, elections commissions and political parties, local and foreign research institutes, and international organizations may register with the KPU for permission to monitor the elections.

All poll watchdogs must meet three requirements -- independence, financial health, and accreditation from the KPU. --JP