House yet to reach agreement on election bill

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 06/30/2008 10:50 AM | National

Lawmakers are still unable to settle on contentious articles of the presidential election bill, although factions at the House of Representatives have completed the closed-door meeting process to deliberate the draft law.

The most contentious articles are on the number of seats required to form government and the educational requirements of the presidential candidates.

"These crucial issues will be discussed further through lobbying among factions and the government. We hope to reach an agreement after one or two meetings," said lawmaker Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, head of the House's team deliberating the bill, on Sunday.

He said the unfinished business would not affect the deliberation deadline. "We hope to pass the law in the third week of August," he said.

During the two-week closed-door meeting process, the House agreed a party would need to win between 15 and 30 percent of the House's seats to form government, although an exact number is still being deliberated.

The National Mandate Party (PAN), the Star Reform Party (PBR), the United Development Party (PPP), the Democratic Party (PD), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) are proposing a threshold of 15 percent of House seats, which is similar to the government's proposal.

Bigger political parties Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) are proposing a higher threshold of 30 percent and 20 percent of the House seats, respectively.

In what many consider a surprising move, the conflict-ridden National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Democratic Pioneer Star faction (BPD) backed Golkar, proposing a threshold of 30 percent, even though they only have 52 (9.5 percent) and 20 (3.6 percent) seats at the House, respectively.

Factions are also divided over the issue of whether presidential candidates must have a university degree.

Another issue that will be discussed is whether the ministers running for the presidential election need to resign from his or her post.

Despite the contentious issues, the House team resolved some problems during the closed-door meeting.

Ferry said the team had agreed the General Elections Commission (KPU) must arrange five to seven open debate sessions for presidential candidates and that they are still allowed to advertise.

"We don't limit the level of candidates' advertising, but we oblige the media to give equal opportunities to all candidates," he said.

The House team has also agreed violation of campaign regulations would not end in the elimination of presidential candidates.

"Sanctions will be imposed to the parties' boards and their campaign team," Ferry said.

Sanctions will also be put on presidential nominees pulling out of the election if the KPU had already named them as candidates.

The House team has also agreed with the government that campaign donations from individuals should be capped at Rp 1 billion (US$108,108), while the maximum donation from groups would be limited to Rp 5 billion each. (alf)

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