PPP vows to fight to amend 1995 law on elections

PPP vows to fight to amend 1995 law on elections

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): The United Development
Party (PPP) vowed yesterday to campaign to improve the 1985 law
on general elections which, it said, favored Golkar.

PPP deputy chairman Jusuf Syakir told about 15,000 supporters
in the Mattoanging stadium here that, under Law No. 3/1985, only
government officials could sit on the Election Supervision
Committee.

"Everybody knows which political grouping the government
officials belong to," Jusuf said, obviously referring to Golkar.

There would be less electoral fraud if representatives of the
three parties -- PPP, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic (PPP)
-- were on the committee, he said.

The law limited the committee to functioning at a subdistrict
level and not in the villages, where most manipulation occurred,
Jusuf said.

"But to change the law, we need your votes," he told
supporters who responded with yells of "Long live PPP!" and "We
are ready to support PPP".

Another campaigner, Hussein Umar, fired up the crowd by
speaking on economic monopolies. He said the PPP would fight for
an antimonopoly law to stop conglomerates gobbling up industries
which should belong to small business.

He said people should be able to judge the government by its
handling of the notorious escape Eddy Tansil, whose "collusion
with several government officials" had cost the state US$620
million.

"This proves we haven't yet got clean governance. So let's
fight for the PPP to get us it," he said.

In a televised discussion yesterday, the PPP said the
government should take all necessary measures to prevent violence
against Indonesian women working abroad.

Party deputy chairwoman Aisyah Aminy said the party was
concerned about the women workers abroad who "often experienced
inhumane treatment such as suspended salaries and sexual
harassment".

"If we cannot stop sending women workers abroad, at least
something should be done. We should have tighter selection
processes, including criteria such as a minimal skills
requirement," Aisyah said.

A "workers protection command post" should be established in
every Indonesian embassy to facilitate communication between the
workers and the government, she said.

Aisyah said the PPP would fight for tougher laws against
rapists, who had been punished lightly under the Criminal Code.

"It's an injustice against the victims who have to suffer for
the rest of their lives," she said. (aan/30/37)