D

espite their status as former graft convicts, a number of candidates for regional head posts nationwide have said they are keen to win their respective election bids.

According to them, their past involvement in corruption cases would not hamper their popularity among voters.

In Manado, Golkar Party politician Elly Engelbert Lasut, whose candidacy for the upcoming North Sulawesi gubernatorial election has been endorsed by Golkar, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Hanura Party and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), said his status as a former graft convict would not affect his election campaign.

'€œI'€™m 100 percent sure that I will win the upcoming gubernatorial election. I still have many militant supporters,'€ Elly said on Thursday after completing the compulsory medical examination at Prof. Kandou General Hospital as a part of the local election procedures.

The Manado District Court sentenced in 2011 Elly, a former regent of North Sulawesi'€™s Talaud regency, to seven years in prison for his involvement in a graft case surrounding the issuance of fictitious travel documents. He was released in November last year.

Two other graft convicts, Vonny Anneke Panambunan and Jimmy Rimba Rogi, have also signed up as candidates for regional head elections in North Minahasa regency and Manado municipality, respectively.

Vonny, a local beauty pageant winner, was sentenced in 2008 to 18 months in prison for her involvement in a graft case surrounding the feasibility studies for the establishment of an East Kalimantan airport. Jimmy, a former Manado mayor, meanwhile, was sentenced to five years'€™ imprisonment in 2009 for embezzling Rp 68.8 billion (US$5.1 million) in funds from the city'€™s budget.

Both politicians, who have completed their prison terms, have also expressed their confidence in their respective election bids.

'€œMy supporters have remained loyal. Just look at our recent candidacy registration. There were many people who accompanied me and [running mate] Boby Daud [during our visit to the Regional General Elections Commission (KPUD)],'€ said Jimmy, who has been nominated by Golkar, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP).

Former convicts, including those who have completed prison terms in graft cases, were given permission to participate in local elections after the Constitutional Court abolished last month Article 7 Point (g) of the 2015 Regional Elections (Pilkada) Law, which had banned former convicts from running for regional head posts.

The court argued that the law was unconstitutional.

In Papua, at least two former graft convicts have also signed up to participate in the upcoming regional head elections. Jules Warikar, an independent candidate in the Supiori regency, and Yusak Walano, nominated by PAN, the NasDem Party and the PKB to run as a candidate in the Boven Digoel regional election, served three and five years in prison, respectively, for their involvement in two different graft cases.

Papuan People for Indonesian Democracy Forum (FMP2DI) coordinator Hugo Karubaba urged local election organizers to immediately announce the names of the candidates who had served prison terms to the public. '€œVoters should not be left in the dark about the backgrounds of the candidates,'€ he said.

Separately, KPU member Sigit Pamungkas said the commission could not prevent any ex-graft convicts from running in local elections due to the absence of legal standings.

'€œTheir candidacies were up to the political parties,'€ he said. (rbk)