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)