JAKARTA (Suara Karya): The General Election Commission (KPU) on this Monday (7/4) began receiving registration and verification of political parties to be participants in the 2009 General Election. However the Commission reminded that the verification process was subject to money politics practices.

According to the National Coordinator for People Voter Education Network (JPPR) Jeiry Sumampaow, money politics could threaten the political parties verification by the Commission, especially in regions. "With extra workload, the officers in many regions are more fragile to do money politics because they think practically," he said in Jakarta, Sunday.

Jeiry emphasized, the Commission workload was so heavy. In many areas, besides being busy taking care of general election process, the Commission had to deal with Regional Election process. Not to mention, in many areas, the Commission also underwent changing of members process.

"Most of the members of the Regional Commission (KPUD) are new people who need to study first. Within a short time, it makes the duty of the Commission heavier," said Jeiry.
He worried the hot spot was at the officers in Regency level. According to him, the officers in this level often left unobserved well so that potentially their duties had deviated.

Head of the Commission, Hafiz Saleh Anshary, also admitted that political party verification to be able to participate in the general election was very difficult and had some risks. Hafiz also admitted that the updating citizenship data was also difficult.

Based on the schedule, said Hafiz, the Commission would prioritize verifying old political parties (participants of 2004 General Election) which had their legal entities and 16 parties with their members in the Parliament. Meanwhile the second period was filled by registration and verification for new parties. "All parties that have passed the verification will be stated as participants in 2009 General Election and will be given their numbers," he said.

Last Saturday (5/4), Department of Home Affairs and Department of Foreign Affairs had submitted the citizenship data to the Commission for the 2009 General Election purpose. The submission was conducted in the Department of Home Affairs Building, Jakarta, and attended by Minister of Home Affairs Mardiyanto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda, also Head of the Commission for General Election Abdul Hafiz Anshary.

Citizenship data domestically reached 224.118.268 people and citizenship data from other countries reached 1.609.737 people. However, all those data was still developing so did the total number. Meanwhile for the DP-4 was as many as 154.741.787.

Head of the Commission for General Election said, time for the two steps was the same. Updating data had to be finished in three months and at the same time some of the Commission in regional level was in their member transition. (Rully)

Source: www.suarakarya-online.com
Photo courtesy of www.suaramerdeka.com
Translated by Yogi Djatnika (MKRI)