Public raises objections to legislative list

Public raises objections to legislative list

JAKARTA (JP): Objections have been raised by the public over
the eligibility of some legislative candidates, just after the
National Elections Committee (PPI) disclosed their names on
Monday.

PPI chairman Jacob Tobing said here on Tuesday that most of
the complaints were about the selection of the candidates, which
they accused of ignoring people's aspirations.

Jacob said the objections were directly filed with the
parties. He declined to identify the parties.

"We don't know how the parties responded to the objections
because we only received copies of the complaints," Jacob said.

A list of some 13,500 legislative candidates of the 48 parties
contesting the June 7 elections was released to the public on
Monday, four days after originally scheduled. The public has only
48 hours more to scrutinize the long list of nominees before it
becomes final.

Changes are possible only in numerical order of the list
proposed by each party, according to Jacob. He said parties were
not allowed to add to the list.

Separately, General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Rudini
said Monday's announcement marked an official permit for the
people running for House of Representatives seats to campaign for
their respective parties.

KPU also announced it would complete drawing up regulations on
the maximum campaign spending allowed for each party only a week
before balloting day. It is expected that KPU will approve a rule
requiring an audit by public accountants of a party's spending.

"Various suggestions have been proposed, with Golkar, for
instance, asking for Rp 1 trillion on the grounds that in order
to win the hearts of some 130 million eligible voters nationwide,
it will have to spend an average of Rp 10,000 for each of them,"
Bambang Sulistomo of the Indonesian Democrats Alliance Party
(PADI), said.

Other parties suggested a maximum of Rp 25 billion, he added.

The Political Parties Law only stipulates that a party is
allowed to receive a maximum of Rp 15 million (US$2,000) in
annual financial assistance from an individual and a maximum of
Rp 150 million from a corporate body. Revenue is subject to
audits.

Late candidates

Jacob also said that 12 candidates of the Democratic People's
Party (PRD) had been dropped from the list because nobody knew
their whereabouts. The candidates are antigovernment activists
who are still missing after they were allegedly abducted by the
military between 1997 and 1998.

He said the PRD representative in PPI, Aan Rusdianto, approved
the removal of the names. "Anyway, it is impossible for them
(PRD) to nominate persons who do not exist," Jacob said.

PRD representative in the KPU, Hendri Kuok, however, said the
party had not withdrawn the candidates' names. "I've checked with
Aan and he said he never dropped the names."

PRD's South Kalimantan chapter filed a protest against the
provincial elections committee on Monday for failing to list one
of the party's candidates, Said, for the local legislature.

The committee secretary, Bambang Rachmadi, said on Monday he
had received a letter of protest signed by the head and the
secretary of the PRD chapter, Yanuaris Frans and Marli
respectively.

Bambang, however, defended the committee's decision to drop
Said from the list, saying he was among 123 people who died
during a riot that took place in an electoral rally in the
provincial capital of Banjarmasin two years ago.

"His nomination did not meet the requirements due to the
absence of the candidate's signature," Bambang said.

From Palembang, South Sumatra, the local poll committee
announced on Monday 1,060 candidates for the provincial
legislature. Committee staffer Fathul Rozik Zen told Antara the
committee had moved back the announcement of the list of
candidates from its original schedule of Saturday, citing
"technical errors".

Golkar Party made the most of the list with 100 candidates,
followed by the United Development Party with 73. The National
Mandate Party (PAN) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) share third place with 68 each.

Security

Meanwhile, the National Police have guaranteed the safety of
expatriates across the country in the run-up and during the June
general election.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar Sianipar,
representing his chief Gen. Roesmanhadi, told a discussion held
by the Indonesian Executives Circle (IEC) at Antara state news
agency that the police had set up a special security arrangement
for foreigners.

"Don't worry about your security, but I appeal to you to
remain optimistic that nothing bad will happen in the days
ahead," Togar said.

The security measures include protection for expatriates on
their way from their residence to refuge centers or airports
during an emergency. A contact person will be available in each
town to monitor the security situation and serve expatriates
concerning safety complaints.

Togar said the arrangement would be announced to all embassies
of foreign countries here.

"Indonesian police pay special attention to keeping foreigners
safe in order to maintain international trust. We need foreign
investors, but they will not invest in an unstable country,"
Togar read Roesmanhadi's speech.

In Yogyakarta, the provincial elections supervisory body
demanded that Golkar, PDI Perjuangan, PAN and the National
Awakening Party (PKB) stop their advertisements on television.

"The ads will create envy from parties which cannot afford to
advertise, besides they violate the law on early electioneering,"
the body's deputy chief, Humphrey Sudarmadi Kariodimedjo, said.
(44/edt/byg/amd)