Theofilus admits party member, loses KPU chance

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 10/02/2007 3:47 PM

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives has dropped Theofilus Waimuri as a candidate for the KPU after he admitted to being a legislative nominee in the 2004 elections.

The General Election Commission's (KPU's) decision to drop Theofilus was made during the first day of the ""fit-and-proper"" tests for KPU candidates.

The tests started Monday and are being held by the House's Commission II overseeing home affairs. The testing is scheduled to end Wednesday and would now see only 20 KPU hopefuls measured.

During a meeting before the tests commenced Monday, Commission II chairman E. E Mangindaan asked Theofilus to verify his controversial status and his link to the Democratic Party.

Theofilus' answer allegedly saw a number of legislators walk out of the meeting.

""It is true that I was in the legislative candidates list nominated by the Democratic Party in 2004 election,"" Theofilus said.

""I was asked to fill a vacant legislative candidate place by the party.

""It was because my brother is the chairman of the Democratic Party chapter in Papua.

""It's like a nepotism practice,"" he said.

A legislator from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Nasir Jamal, accused Theofilus of lying to the public.

""We appreciate your openness ... but you lied publicly about your status,"" Nasir said.

""You have harmed the integrity and accountability of the KPU.""

Nasir said his party would walk out of the meeting if Theofilus was allowed to sit the ""fit-and-proper"" test.

Lawmakers Andi Juliany from the National Mandate Party (PAN), Mahfudz Sidig of the PKS and Saefullah Maksum of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) had allegedly already left the meeting.

Faced with these protests, Mangindaan said he told Theofilus he was no longer considered a candidate for the KPU.

""Based on the 2007 Law on Electoral Organizer, we can't continue the fit-and-proper test on Theofilus,"" he said.

The law stipulates eligible KPU candidates can not have been affiliated with any political party in the last five years.

The House commission tested seven candidates from the remaining 20 on Monday, including Abdul Aziz, Abdul Hafiz Nashary, Achmad Herry, Andi Nurpati, Dyah Arum Muninggar, Elyani Gaffer and Endang Sulastri.

House legislators questioned each candidate for about one hour, asking a range of questions including their prospective roles and responsibilities and national election logistics.

The House would select the final seven KPU members before they are formally endorsed by the President. The remaining 13 would be named stand-by replacements.

New members of the KPU would be responsible for the country's second direct presidential election in 2009.

But activists have repeatedly urged the House to review current KPU candidates.

The Centre for Electoral Reform (CETRO) said questions asked during the ""fit and proper"" tests were normative and would make it difficult to name final KPU members.

""The House failed to use any momentum to grill KPU candidates.

""They could give a study case to each candidate and ask for a solution,"" CETRO executive director Hadar Gumay said.

He said the quality of current KPU candidates would harm the presidential election in 2009.

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