Three more parties pass KPU screening
Three more parties pass KPU screening
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced on Monday that
three more political parties passed administrative screening, but
said five parties had yet to complete all the requirements for
verification.
KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah, who is in charge of the
screening, said the three parties which qualified for field
verification were the New Indonesia Alliance Party (PIB), the
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United National Democratic
Party (PPDK).
The Reform Party, Catholic Party, Indonesian Workers Party
(PPTKI), Mutual Assistance Party, and the Indonesian Nationalist
Unification Party (PPNI), were asked to submit further documents
required for administrative screening.
The PPNI, for example, only submitted documents from two
branch offices in Jambi and South Sumatra, instead of from 21
provinces, according to Mulyana.
The Reform Party, he said, did not hand in membership cards
from two provinces, while the PPTKI and Gotong Royong Party only
submitted membership cards without documents stating the
locations of the branch offices and their executives.
All parties must submit such documents from at least 21
provinces and two-thirds of the total regencies in those
provinces for administrative screening to go ahead.
"We will send them official letters about our screening
process. They must furnish the required documents within a week,"
Mulyana told reporters.
The KPU has now verified seven parties examined, including the
National Concern Party (PKPB), Indonesian Union Party (PSI), and
Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKP Indonesia), and Star
Party of Reform (PBR).
A total of 50 parties submitted applications last week to the
KPU to contest the 2004 elections after passing earlier screening
by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
Six of them - the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP),
National Awakening Party (PKB), National Mandate Party (PAN) and
Crescent Star Party (PBB) -- will be automatically allowed to
contest next year's election as they already met the 2 percent
electoral threshold in the 1999 election.
The administrative screening process started on Oct. 10 and
will end on Oct. 16.
Parties that fail to pass the verification process will be
given one more week between Oct. 18 and Oct. 25 to complete their
documents for the field examination scheduled to run from Oct. 26
to Nov. 1.
The legislative elections will take place on April 5, 2004,
followed by the first round of the country's first ever direct
presidential election on July 5, with the run-off taking place on
Sept. 20.
Separately, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti announced that
143.192 million people were eligible to vote in the 2004 general
elections according to the national population and voters census
conducted by the Central Statistics Agency.
The census also revealed that the Indonesian population now
stood at 214.703 million.
He also said that after receiving feedback from various stake
holders, the electoral district map would be gradually decided
upon.
On Monday, electoral districts for the provincial legislative
council seats in Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East
Java and Yogyakarta in Java were declared definitive.
Jakarta is divided into five electoral districts with 75 seats
at the provincial legislature up for grabs, Banten into six
electoral districts with 75 seats, West Java into 11 electoral
districts with 100 seats. Central Java has 10 electoral districts
with 100 seats, Yogyakarta has five electoral districts with 55
seats and East Java has 10 electoral districts with 100 seats.
However, the seats on offer in the electoral district
combining the Central Java towns of Magelang, Purworejo, Wonosobo
and Temanggung have been revised from 10 to 11, due to a
miscalculation.