'RI heads for 'most complex' election'

'RI heads for 'most complex' election'

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Jakarta

Indonesia is scheduled to hold the world's "most complex" general election on April 5 when 147.2 million people vote for three different levels of representation, an international expert on electoral systems said on Friday.

"This is going to be the most complex election anyone has tried to hold, ever," said Alan Wall, project manager for the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), with reference to the perplexing procedures -- not the profound personalities -- involved in the country's upcoming polls.

Indonesia's general election will choose members of three legislative bodies, including the House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and the Provincial and Regency/City Legislatures (DPRDs).

The triple-polling is the result of significant constitutional amendments completed in 2002 that ended the previous practice of appointing members of the upper house and district-level legislators and making these elected positions.

"The only thing comparable is the system in India, and even there they don't try to do it all in one day," said Wall, addressing a panel discussion on the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.

Following the general election on April 5, the country will hold its first-ever direct presidential and vice presidential election on July 5, which may require a second round on Sept. 20, 2004, if none of the teams wins 51 percent of total votes in the first poll.

A total of 24 political parties are eligible to contest the legislative election on April 5, and only parties or coalitions of parties garnering 3 percent of the seats in the House or 5 percent of total votes up for grabs will be allowed to contest the presidential election.

IFES, which also monitored Indonesia's 1999 general election -- deemed the country's freest and fairest election since 1955 -- has taken numerous opinion polls to assess the readiness of Indonesians to vote in the upcoming polls, their understanding of procedures and where their preferences lie.

Wall acknowledged that much still was needed in terms of voter education between now and April 5, which will be the first time Indonesians vote for representatives at three different levels of legislature.

"I don't think anyone has understood this system, at all, in Indonesia," said Wall.

Despite the confusion, Wall and other monitors of the upcoming election are upbeat that it will prove free and fair and be held on time.

"I think it will be an acceptable result. I don't think the election will be postponed," said Wall.

The Asia Foundation was similarly upbeat that the upcoming elections would be fair and participatory.

"There is an urban myth that Indonesian voters are disgusted and disillusioned with democracy," said Douglas Ramage, head of the Asia Foundation in Jakarta.

Ramage, who claimed recent opinion surveys conducted by the Asia Foundation suggested that 94 percent of eligible voters would participate in the general election, said, "Indonesians are extremely enthusiastic about the upcoming election."

On April 5, some 147,219,531 Indonesians will be eligible to cast their votes at 565,000 polling booths nationwide.

The results of their votes for the House, for which 24 political parties are contesting, should be known for 82 per cent of the population within two to three days, said Chusnul Mar'iyah, a member of the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Compiling the final results may take more than 10 days.