PPI issues final legislative candidates' list
JAKARTA (JP): After a two-day delay, the National Elections Committee (PPI) issued on Friday the final list of 11,583 provincial legislative candidates, reduced from about 13,500 names on the original list.
A total of 2,064 legislative candidates failed the scrutiny.
PPI chairman Jacob Tobing said the legislative candidates list had been signed by the 48 political parties contesting the June 7 polls and approved by PPI on Wednesday.
It was not until late Thursday night that the announcement of a rough figure of the total number of names was made because it took a long time to input the data of the legislative candidates, he said.
"We had a big problem as a virus entered the files of three political parties. We had to retype the data again," Jacob said.
The three unlucky parties were the Murba Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the United Party, but PPI had the original files.
Several parties have added names to the original list, such as the Indonesian Democrats Alliance Party (PADI), which increased its candidates from 143 to 146, and the Workers' Solidarity Party (PSP) added one name to make 53.
When the temporary list was issued on May 16, Jacob said parties were not allowed to add names, as the law states only that parties may replace new names in exchange for candidates dropped from the list.
However on Friday he acknowledged that the law, namely Article 44, was open to interpretation.
"It doesn't forbid the party to add candidates," Jacob said.
In the new list Golkar Party now has 856 names from the previous 919; the National Mandate Party (PAN) has 538 from 551 names; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) had one dropped from the original 643 names; the National Awakening Party (PKB) has 523 candidates from the previous 616; the United Development Party (PPP) has 714 of 717; the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) has 557 from 684; the Crescent Star Party (PBB) has 411 from 538; and the Republic Party had the most dropped, down to 412 from its original list of 865 names.
Many Republic Party candidates had not completed the required documents, Jacob said.
The final list, however, does not contain significant changes regarding party leaders running for legislative seats. The popular chairwoman of PDI Perjuangan, Megawati Soekarnoputri, is still running in Bandung, West Java. While PAN chairman Amien Rais is listed in Jakarta along with PKB's Noor Mohammad Iskandar.
Meanwhile, the General Elections Commission (KPU) called for police to investigate possible tampering with the initial provincial legislative lists, which were issued after a four-day delay from the previous schedule of May 12.
While KPU has often been charged of violating the election law the commission also accused the government of being "half- heartedly supporting the elections", saying Habibie's administration had failed to meet an article in the election law stating that the government should support parties' campaign funds.
The KPU also arranged for 46 accountants from the Indonesian Accountants Association (IAI) to conduct an audit of parties' funds. The law stipulates an annual maximum donation of Rp 15 million per person and Rp 150 million for a corporation or organization.
"Each accountant will be paid Rp 450,000 per work day and they are paid by related parties," KPU chairman Rudini said.
Meanwhile, head of the Jakarta Provincial Elections Committee (PPD I) organizing committee Effendi Anas said Friday that at least seven legislative candidates vying for City Council seats pulled out of the running on Thursday.
Effendi said the reasons cited included one from a civil servant who could not obtain permission from his superior to run for the legislature.
Candidates who resigned included those from the Republic Party (PR), the National Awakening Party, the National Mandate Party, the Indonesian Muslim Party (PUMI) and National Labor Party (PBN).
Separately in Bandung, West Java, the final provincial legislative list here reached a total of 2,008 names from the previous 2,074 candidates. PKB has the most hopefuls dropped, down from 109 to 91 names.
Many of those who failed to meet administrative requirements were religious leaders. (edt/ylt/43)