Team begins task of deciding poll participants

JAKARTA (JP): A team of respected and nonpartisan public figures under Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid began the arduous task on Wednesday of determining eligibility of more than 200 new political parties for the June 7 general election.

Established by the government, the 11-member team will work until the formation of the National Election Commission, mandated by the new electoral law endorsed by the House of Representatives last week.

It is essentially starting the groundwork for the election until the commission's establishment, expected on March 1.

"Our (chief) job is to observe and verify the political parties, whether they have fulfilled the legal requirements to contest the election," Nurcholish told reporters after the team's inaugural meeting at the office of the National Election Institute.

He was accompanied by team members Miriam Budiardjo, a political lecturer, former supreme court justice Adi Andojo, political observers Andi A. Malarangeng and Eep Saefulloh Fatah and student leader Rama Pratama.

Business consultant Kastorius Sinaga and human rights activist Mulyana W. Kusumah left the venue immediately after the meeting. Three other members -- human rights lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution, political scientist Afan Gaffar and student leader Anas Urbaningrum -- did not attend.

In addition to electing Nurcholish as team chairman, the meeting chose Adnan Buyung and Adi Andojo as deputy chairmen, and Andi and Rama as secretaries.

The government said the 11 were selected because of their esteemed reputations and strong public credibility. The team will help solicit widespread public support which the government needs in preparing the election.

The National Election Commission will comprise five government officials and a representative each from the political parties qualified to contest the election.

Although the new law does not limit the number of political parties which can be established, it requires each to have chapters in nine of the 27 provinces, with branch offices in at least 50 percent of the regencies of these provinces.

Many political parties established after the end of the Soeharto regime in May are unlikely meet the criteria, leading to their automatic disqualification from the election.

The three political parties recognized under Soeharto's regime -- Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the government- supported branch of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- are exempt from the verification process.

"They are already stated as eligible parties by the law," Andi Malarangeng said.

Nurcholish said the team would evaluate claims by the new parties of enough chapters and branches nationwide to qualify. "We will strive to give fair and objective assessments."

Andi said the team would visit provinces and regencies to check on the parties' networks. It will be assisted by non- governmental organizations, student groups and local administrations.

Although the new parties have registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs, they are required under the new law to report to the Ministry of Justice starting on Thursday after they register at a notary public.

Register

After meeting preliminary requirements, they can register with the National Election Institute starting on Sunday.

Nurcholish's team will begin its verification work on Monday.

Rama said the team's findings would be announced to the public as soon as possible.

The team is counting on parties merging in order to qualify to contest the election, he said. "We've heard 82 parties plan to form one. This would definitely ease our job."

Separately, Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono appealed to university administrators to be careful and wise in their plan to deploy students as election monitors.

"Do not sacrifice the students. Make sure they are safe. Proper and clear mechanism must be established," Juwono said after inaugurating rectors of several state universities at his office on Wednesday.

The forum of university rectors announced this week that it would recruit 450,000 students to be deployed at about 600,000 polling stations.

Separately, Director General of Primary and Secondary Education Indra Djati Sidi urged political parties not to exploit students and teachers in the election campaign.

"I know that it is everybody's right to take part in political activities... but I think it is not wise to manipulate the education system." He feared rallies could turn violent.

"Golkar used to do that in the past... turning students into political pawns. Now we have to stop this practice, and stop sacrificing our children," he said. (edt)