Small parties demand ban on holding two jobs

Small parties demand ban on holding two jobs

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A group of minor parties demanded on Monday that all party
leaders be banned from key positions in the executive and
judicial branches to avoid conflicts of interest.

The parties also said that political parties should not accept
financial assistance from the state because of the country's
weakening economy.

The 15 parties raised their concerns during a hearing with
members of the House of Representatives' special committee
deliberating the political party bill.

"Leaders of political parties should not be allowed to take up
public positions to avoid conflict of interest and abuse of
power," Medi Sutanto, of the Union of Indonesian Independence
Defenders (IPKI), told the hearing.

Among them, the parties won less than 13 House seats. They
include the Justice Party (PK), the Justice and Unity Party
(PKP), the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR), Love the Nation
Democratic Party (PDKB) and the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI).

Sutanto said the public positions were president and vice
president, Cabinet ministers, governors and deputy governors,
regents and deputy regent, mayors and deputy mayors, chiefs and
deputy chiefs and members of the Supreme Court.

He proposed the restriction be inserted in Article 16 of the
Bill on Political Parties, which states that political parties
were not allowed to receive or demand funds from state or
regional enterprises and humanitarian organizations.

Using state facilities for the interests of political parties
has become a common practice in the country since the New Order
era.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri chairs the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle, while Vice President Hamzah Haz
heads the United Development Party.

Megawati's cabinet also comprises leaders of various
political parties.

Some members of the special committee rejected restricting
political leaders from holding positions in executive and
judicial offices.

Effendy Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB), the
fourth largest party, said the ability of political leaders to
obtain state posts was a normal occurrence.

"If our party wins the election, we will have a chance to fill
the seats in the executive. That is normal thing," Effendy said.

However, he agreed on the control function performed by the
House of Representatives (DPR) of the executive to avoid abuse of
power.

Aisyah Aminy of the United Development Party (PPP) insisted
that leaders of political parties in regency chapters should also
be allowed to run for regent.

She also questioned demands that party executives resign from
their parties before competing for government posts.

"I am afraid the politicians will lose everything if they fail
to obtain the executive posts," she added.

Meanwhile, several women's groups on Monday demanded the
election bill committee ensure that 30 percent of all political
positions were reserved for women.

Grouped under the Women and Political Network, which consists
of 36 women's groups, non-governmental organizations and
scholars, demanded that political parties not be allowed to
contest the 2004 elections if women did not comprise 30 percent
of the executives on the parties's central board.

The House has pledged to complete deliberations by December to
give the General Election Commission ample time to prepare for
the 2004 elections. The commission badly needs legislation that
will give it a legal basis to carry out its duties.

The government and the House have yet to decide whether to
insert articles on direct presidential elections in the election
bill or draft a separate bill.