TNI members, police may be allowed to vote

JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung suggested here on Thursday returning the right to vote to members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police should the country adopt a direct presidential election system.

Speaking on the sidelines of seminar on the prospects and challenges of direct presidential elections, Akbar said under such a system all Indonesian citizens, without exception, should be allowed to vote for the president.

"All Indonesian citizens, including the TNI and National Police are allowed to vote....to use their right to vote," he told reporters.

Akbar underlined that the TNI and National Police must be allowed to execute their political rights because they will no longer be allocated seats in the House.

"It is time for us to push the military to be a proportional institution to maintain national security and allow them to practice their right to vote," he added.

TNI and National Police were allowed to vote in the first general election in 1955 but since then have not participated in the election process.

It was feared in the past that their active participation and loyalty towards a particular electoral candidate could help sway the balance of the election disproportionately.

To compensate, they were allocated seats in the House. They are currently allotted 38 seats.

But it has already been agreed that the TNI/Police will no longer be accorded seats in the House after the next election.

MPR

An ad hoc People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) committee is currently debating changes in the presidential election system.

Seven of the 10 Assembly factions have already expressed support for a direct presidential election that would replace the current system in which the Assembly elects the president and vice president.

Akbar, who is chairman of Golkar Party, also said that if a direct presidential election system is adopted there should be a serious evaluation of the need for an institution like the Assembly.

"The authority of the MPR will decrease greatly with the advent of a direct presidential election process," he said.

"MPR would only have authority on constitutional matters. The president's accountability would be directly to the people," added Akbar who's party is one of the strongest advocates of a direct presidential election system.

Meanwhile National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori Abdul Djalil suggested a mechanism be developed to accommodate independent presidential candidates not affiliated with a political party.

"I think it is good to have independent candidates. We have to think of the best possible mechanism to accommodate the idea," Matori said, adding that his party will also support the direct presidential election system.

President Abdurrahman Wahid stated in his opening speech at the seminar full support for direct presidential elections.

But separately, Gadjah Mada University political observer Pratikno warned against the hasty implementation of the plan, saying it could provoke national disintegration.

"It could be used by people outside Java island to ask for freedom if their candidates fail to get elected," Pratikno said.

He said direct presidential elections are the most democratic way, but that it would be better if the system was applied after 2004 when the people have more time to accept the idea and the spirit of regionalism has subsided. (dja/44)