Pressure up to adopt open-list poll
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Observers have put pressure on the House of Representatives (DPR) to adopt a combination of a proportional electoral system with an open-list of candidates for the election of legislative bodies, saying that it would ensure a more accountable representative system.
They are aware, however, of persistent challenges at the House due to the fact that the conservative group remains influential in the legislative body.
"If we continue to use the current proportional system there will be no changes. The next election will be the same as those in the past," said Todung Mulya Lubis, an adviser for the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro), on the sidelines of a simulation of the 2004 elections here on Sunday.
A member of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Anas Urbaningrum, acknowledged the simple and practical use of a proportional system, but emphasized that it would create a House that was neither accountable nor qualified.
"An open-list of candidates is promising," Anas, the former chairman of the Association of Islamic Students (HMI), said.
Both Todung and Anas were commenting on the deliberation of the election bill now under way at the House, where most factions oppose the combination of a proportional system with an open-list of candidates.
The election bill outlined by the Ministry of Home Affairs offers a modified proportional system to elect members of legislative bodies, including the DPR, Provincial Legislative Council for provinces (DPRD I), the Regional Legislative Council for provinces (DPRD II) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
Critics said that the current proportional system only produces a representative system which keeps legislators from their constituents but places legislators under the full control of their respective political parties.
In the past, voters chose the symbols of political parties, while the parties' central board had the authority to determine their representatives for the legislative bodies.
The largest party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), was among the parties opposing the proposed changes to the current electoral system.
PDI Perjuangan legislator Agustin Teras Narang said adopting the government's proposal of a combined proportional system and an open-list of candidates was "just too complicated".
Cetro conducted on Sunday a simulation of the general election, as part of its effort to promote the modified electoral system.
About 1,200 high school students took part in the simulation at Soemantri Brodjonegoro stadium in South Jakarta. They chose one of the three presidential candidates and their running mates.
Actress Nurul Arifin, singer and author Dewi Lestari and comedians Dedy 'Miing' Gumelar and Hadi 'Unang' Prabowo acted as the presidential candidates in the simulation.
The students also elected four members of the DPD among the 12 candidates on the list.
"We introduced a combination of the proportional system with an open-list of candidates, hoping that legislators would make up their minds," Cetro chairwoman Smita Notosusanto said on the sidelines of the simulation at the stadium.
Anas hailed the simulation, saying that it would help spark "election fever" among Indonesians sooner than expected. "This will help our promotional program," he added.
Cetro executive director Smita Notosusanto said that similar mock elections would also be organized in the country's big cities including Medan in North Sumatra and Makassar in South Sulawesi.