Many legislative candidates in next year’s election face disqualification because they are registered with more than one political party or in more than one electoral area, the national election body revealed on Tuesday.
“There are at least 24 people who are either registered under two parties … or in two electoral areas, with some even registered in three electoral areas,” said Husni Kamil Manik, chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU).
“Parties must fix this between [today] and May 22 and decide whether they will continue to nominate these candidates or keep them out.”
Husni cited the case of Muhammad Kadafi, who is running as a legislative candidate in Lampung for both the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).
Another example is Sumaiyah, who is running for the National Democratic Party (NasDem) in South Sumatra as well as for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in East Java.
KPU commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay said the commission also found many legislative candidates who had not submitted all of the required documents.
“We scrutinize everything down to the tiniest detail. For example [some candidates] have submitted a completed form, but the party leaders’ signature is missing,” he said.
Hadar also indicated that all 492 candidates of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) failed to submit forms specifying that they are not practicing law, or any other businesses that can create a conflict of interest.
“They seem to think these … forms are not necessary, which is grounds for us to disqualify them,” he said.
But PKS election management team member Dono Pratomo insisted his party did submit all of the required documents. “You can check it for yourself; none of [the PKS candidates] are without all the necessary documents,” he said.
Harris Bobihoe, deputy secretary general of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), admitted there was confusion over which KPU documents were mandatory and which were not.
“There has been a miscommunication,” he said. “But some [candidates] eventually submitted the documents and those who haven’t will be required to do so immediately. If they fail to meet the deadline, it means they are not serious [in running] and will be disqualified.”
PDI-P secretary general Tjahjo Kumolo said his party will not tolerate candidates running under the banners of two political parties.
“We will automatically eliminate them from the list [of candidates] and replace them with new names,” he said.
by: Anastasia Winanti Riesardhy & Carlos Paath
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/many-2014-legislative-candidates-face-disqualification-kpu/
