T

he General Election Commission (KPU) announced over the weekend that out of 16 political parties, 13 had passed the factual verification stage at the national level.

The KPU was yet to decide the status of the Golkar party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB), which thus far are still undergoing the factual verification process.

KPU said in a statement that the three political parties failed to meet the basic requirements for parties to be declared eligible to contest the 2014 general election.

Golkar and PBB have failed to meet the basic requirements that women make up 30 percent of the party central board membership. The Muslim-based PKS, meanwhile, failed to present its chairman and secretary general during a visit by a KPU commissioner.

“When we arrived for the verification process, both the party chairman and secretary general failed to show up,” KPU commissioner Ferry Kunia Riskiyansyah said in a statement.

As for the female representation, 61 percent of PKS’ central board membership are female party members.

The three parties have until Nov. 17 to complete their applications before being subjected to another round of factual verification.

The 13 political parties that have passed the factual verification process at the national level are; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Democratic Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), the National Democrat Party (Nasdem), the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), the National Unity Party (PPN), the National Care for People Party (PPRN), the Democratic Renewal Party (PDP) and the New Indonesian National Sovereignty Party (PKBIB).

Responding to the verification result, Golkar deputy secretary general Nurul Arifin said that there was no reason for party members to panic.

“We are not worried. We know all the stages and this is not a reason to panic. Next week, we will submit a new list with more female members,” Nurul said as quoted by Antara news wire.

Nurul said that Golkar had in fact met the 30 percent threshold for female central board members. “They just failed to show up during the verification process. Some of them went on the haj pilgrimage, some were out of town or overseas. They will definitely show up for the next verification stage,” Nurul said.