0 With Crescent Star Party Granted New Political Life, KPU Mulls Appeal

Some of the House of Representatives’ smaller parties are urging the General Elections Commission to immediately lodge an appeal after a court revoked the commission’s decision to disqualify one party from contending in the 2014 elections. The commission, known as KPU, suffered another embarrassing defeat on Thursday when the State Administrative High Court (PTTUN) rejected its decision to disqualify the Crescent Star Party (PBB). “Whatever the judiciary decides must be respected,” said United Development Party (PPP) secretary general and lawmaker Muhammad Romahurmuziy on Friday. 

“However, the KPU also has the right to appeal, so the PPP is urging the KPU to file an appeal to the Supreme Court.” The court instructed the KPU to include the PBB as a participant in next year’s legislative elections. The KPU earlier had its decision to disqualify the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) overruled by the Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu). But the KPU has refused to abide by the Bawaslu ruling, arguing that only the PTTUN had the right to overturn its decision, drawing sharp criticism from academics and election watchdogs. 

“The decision on whether the KPU will appeal or not will be decided in a plenary meeting,” the KPU’s Sigit Pamungkas said on Friday. “We will study whether the argument the judges made when issuing the decision was sound.” According to Ray Rangkuti, director of election watchdog the Indonesian Civic Network (LIMA), the law does not allow KPU to appeal a PTTUN decision. “The KPU must carry out the decision,” he said. PBB founder Yusril Ihza Mahendra also said there was little excuse for the KPU to delay listing his party as an election participant. “The PTTUN decision is binding. 

The KPU must do what the court ordered,” Yusril insisted. But Abdul Malik Haramain, a lawmaker from the National Awakening Party (PKB), said the KPU could still file an appeal of the PTTUN decision. “The ball is now in the KPU’s court. If the KPU does not appeal, it would have to carry out the decision. “So it is better for the KPU to file an appeal to prove it made the right decision,” he said. Ten other parties earlier qualified to run in the election. All but one, the National Democratic Party (NasDem), already have seats in the House. 

Political parties inside the House have been advocating for fewer parties to be allowed to contest the polls in the 2014 elections, and PPP’s Romahurmuziy reiterated that stance. “This is all so that democracy can operate cost-effectively and with greater quality,” he said. The KPU earlier disqualified both the PKPI and the PBB, arguing that the parties had failed to prove they had support in all 33 provinces, which is required to run next year. The PKPI was disqualified for failing to prove support in West Sumatra, while the PBB was said to have failed to muster followers in Yogyakarta, Bali and West Kalimantan.

source : the jakarta globe