Banyumas KPUD reported for letting PDI-P contest poll

Agus Maryono ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Purwokerto   |  Wed, 10/08/2008 10:34 AM  |  The Archipelago

A forum representing 14 political parties reported the Banyumas General Election Commission (KPUD) to the National Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and police on Tuesday for an alleged violation.

Forum spokesman Tri Waluyo Basuki said the KPUD had broken the law by allowing a local chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to participate in the general election next year.

The General Election Commission (KPU) had previously banned PDIP Banyumas from contesting in the election because the party had not completed a legislative candidates list.

"The KPUD should not be afraid of pressure from PDI-P supporters. The commission should follow the law," said Waluyo, who is also chairman of the Banyumas chapter of the Democratic Reform Party (PDP).

Waluyo said the forum of political parties had prepared 12 lawyers to process their case.

"Our team is now going to Jakarta to file the case with Bawaslu and we also filed a report with the police."

The 14 political parties in the forum include PDP, the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PAN) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). The Golkar Party declined to support the forum.

Separately, KPUD member Indra Permana would not comment on the accusation that the commission's decision had violated the law.

"We are in a difficult position. We have different interpretations (of the regulation). It has nothing to do with the KPU," Indra said.

However, he said, any political parties had the legal right to take the KPUD to court over its decisions.

On Sept. 26, based on a KPU decision, KPUD Banyumas announced that PDI-P Banyumas was banned from the election next year because it had not completed its legislative candidates list before the Sept. 19 deadline.

The following day, thousands of PDI-P supporters surrounded the KPUD office, protesting the commission's decision. Bowing to pressure, the KPUD then decided to allow the party to contest in the election.

All legislative candidates must submit required documents, including character references, medical certificates and authenticated school diplomas, to be eligible to participate in the election.

If the KPUD finds during the verification process that a candidate's documents are incomplete, it will request further verification from that candidate's party.

PDI-P was allegedly unable to complete its verification processing because of an internal party conflict. The conflict began when PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri dismissed the party's Banyumas chapter chairman, Suherman, two months after the Supreme Court sentenced him to four months in prison for using a forged junior high school diploma.

Megawati then appointed PDI-P Central Java chairman Murdoko as acting chairman of the Banyumas chapter. However, an alleged lack of cooperation between Murdoko and other PDI-P executives left them unable to finalize their candidate list in time.

Previously, PDI-P Banyumas deputy chairman Yoyok Sukoyo welcomed the KPUD's change of position to allow his party to contend.

"KPUD Banyumas has made the right decision. How could a big party like us be banned?" Yoyok said.

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