Vote count finished for 12 provinces

Vote count finished for 12 provinces

JAKARTA (JP): The National Elections Committee (PPI) completed
the vote counting in 12 provinces on Wednesday, with the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
dominating in Central and East Java and Bali.

The tallying was based on provincial reports of ballot results
from Aceh, East and Central Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and Jambi.

Results from Bali, Riau, Lampung, Central Java, Yogyakarta,
East Java, East Timor were completed on Tuesday.

According to tentative results, PDI Perjuangan, which led in
Bali, East and West Java and Yogyakarta, grabbed 75 seats at the
House of Representatives. The Golkar Party, which is dominating
in Aceh, Riau and Irian Jaya, gained 31 seats.

From the 12 provinces, the National Awakening Party (PKB)
collected 35 seats, the National Mandate Party (PAN) took 11
while United Development Party (PPP) won 14.

The PPI decided in its plenary session on Wednesday to
postpone tallying votes in North Sulawesi and Bengkulu because of
an absence of official documents needed for counting. The two
provinces' Provincial Elections Committees were given two days to
complete the required documents and data.

PPI deputy chairman Djuhad Mahja told The Jakarta Post after
the plenary session that the elections commission was not sure if
it would be able to complete the vote count by July 15, a
deadline set by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

"PPI has informed KPU that the national vote count may be
finished on July 21," he said.

He therefore predicted the swearing-in of new legislators and
of members of the provincial and regency legislatures would be
postponed.

But Djuhad said he did not know whether the delay would affect
the schedule of the General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR). Following much criticism, the government has
denied it was planning a delay of the MPR Session which would
lead the presidential election to be held in December.

On Monday, KPU set the MPR General Session schedule for Oct. 1
to Oct. 3.

Despite the denial by the government, PDI Perjuangan, PKB and
PAN jointly stated their rejection of suggestions that the MPR
Session might be delayed, saying this could cause unrest.

The rejection was made in a meeting between PDI Perjuangan
deputy secretary-general Haryanto Taslam, PAN secretary-general
Faisal Basri and PKB secretary-general Iskandar Muhaimin in
Surabaya, East Java, on Wednesday.

The three also discussed ways to avoid violence before the MPR
General Session.

Muhaimin said they also agreed to continue to push for the
reform agenda regardless of who the next president would be.

Faisal said they also agreed to reject the call for the
establishment of a small parties' alliance in the next House.

"All small parties, which fail to gain 2 percent or 10
percent, of 462 seats in the next House, have no right to get
seats in the two legislative bodies," he said.

Minor parties in the General Elections Commission had made the
proposal on Tuesday, saying it would help save otherwise wasted
votes.

Faisal and the other party executives indicated they would
support suggestions that the minor parties would be allowed to
contest the 2004 general election. (rms/nur)