KPU told to act against Papua

By Adianto P. Simamora
Source : The Jakarta Post

A poll monitoring body on Friday urged the General Elections Commission (KPU) to take action against the Papua poll body for extending the deadline for the registration of legislative candidates.

Hadar N. Gumay, executive director of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro), said the extension violated a regulation issued by the KPU itself. Registration of candidates across the country officially closed at midnight on August 18.

"To consistently uphold election regulations, the KPU has to take the lead in questioning this extension. If it was done under pressure from certain parties, the KPU should protect the Papua poll body," Hadar said.

"However, if the initiative came from the Papua poll commission itself, it deserves to be punished. The KPU cannot remain silent on this issue."

The Papua poll commission closed registration hours after the deadline, citing the failure of many political parties in regencies such as Jayawijaya and Lani Jaya to find legislative candidates.

Among the parties that failed to meet the registration deadline were President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, Vice President Jusuf Kalla's Golkar Party and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS).

Hadar said the KPU had to enforce the election law for the sake of credibility.

"Regional poll commissions cannot give parties special treatment. This disrupt efforts to hold peaceful elections because other parties will demand the same treatment," he said.

The Election Supervisory Body's (Bawaslu) Widyaningsih called on the KPU to promote transparency in the Papua case and other matters pertaining to next year's general elections.

"In future, the KPU should uphold the schedule strictly. It may treat Papua differently because of its geographical problems, but this must be made public in advance," she said.

KPU member Andi Nurpati said sanctions against the Papua poll body would be taken only after it officially clarified what really occurred.

"Because this relates to policy, we need an official statement from the regional poll body," she said.

Amid mounting criticism over shoddy preparations for the elections, the KPU on Friday decided to provide a new office car to each of its seven members, at a cost of Rp 300 million each.

"The new cars will be delivered in September," Dalail, head of the KPU's logistics bureau, was quoted as saying by Antara.

He said office cars previously used by former KPU officials would be given to bureau heads at the commission.

"Our job is only to buy the cars. Whether KPU officials choose to make use of them is up to them," he said.

All provincial elections commission chiefs will also receive new cars, valued at Rp 150 million each.