Yusril pessimistic of screening deadline
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A minister expressed doubt Thursday that the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights could finish screening the huge number of political parties before Sept. 27, meaning either the general elections schedule was reviewed or not all parties were verified.
"It looks impossible now for the Justice Ministry to complete the screening in accordance with the deadline set in the general election schedule because it still has 66 more new political parties to verify," Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Thursday.
Yusril was responding to the call by President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday that the justice ministry and the General Election Committee (KPU) stick to the election schedule.
He said his office could finish screening at the earliest on Oct. 20, asking for another three weeks to complete the job.
Out of 112 new political parties registered with the ministry, only 84 have met administrative requirements for verification. So far, the ministry has okayed 18 parties, including the major parties, while the remaining 66 are still being screened.
Yusril said the KPU looked unwilling to extend the screening period until Oct. 20, and if the current tight schedule was maintained, a part of the remaining 66 parties could not be examined.
However, he conceded that it was difficult for the KPU to accept the proposed extension as the registration of political parties would close on Oct. 9.
"If the KPU still rejects to extend the Oct. 9 deadline, it will not be a disaster because many parties will not be verified and will not be allowed to contend the elections," he said.
Separately, KPU Chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin said it was impossible for the KPU to allow the extension of the screening period because it would give less time to verify parties contending the general election scheduled for April 5.
"To the KPU, it is difficult to extend the Oct. 9 deadline to complete the parties' verification, because our schedule is already tight. However, we will firstly listen to the Justice Ministry's argument before we make a decision on that matter," he said, adding that the KPU would have enough time to verify a score of parties if the screening period was extended.
He noted that according to the current schedule, the KPU was supposed to finish verifying political parties on Dec. 2.
The general election law stipulates that all political parties, including major and old ones, have to undergo two rounds of verification to ensure their existence and preparations to contend the elections.
Yusril said he would not take account for any blame and protest from any sides, including new political parties, if the parties could not contend the elections.
"Don't blame us if the unverified parties are finally not allowed to exercise their rights to contend the elections because we have tried to do the best and the KPU should extend the deadline," said Yusril.
The KPU is scheduled to announce the political parties that are eligible to contest the elections on Dec. 2.