81 legislative candidates fail Koran test in Aceh

Aceh Independent Election Commission on Tuesday announced that 81 legislative candidates were eliminated after failing Koran recital test.

Yarwin Adi Dharma, chairman of the Aceh House of Representatives candidacy committee, said political parties had until midnight Tuesday to register substitute candidates.

"As soon as the new candidates register, they will be tested on reciting the Koran," he said, as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.

At least 30 new candidates from ten political parties registered Tuesday afternoon. Some 1,400 candidates from 41 local and national political parties, participated in the test.

Yarwin said the committee was prepared for any lawsuit that might be lodged against the test eliminations, saying their action was in line with Local Political Parties Bylaw.

Candidates from two parties -- the Prosperous Peace Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Devotion -- out of a total of 43 political parties, did not have to sit the test because they are not Muslims. (dre)