JAKARTA, KOMPAS – House of Representatives Commission II has finally decided to conduct screenings for 14 General Election Commission (KPU) and 10 Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) member candidates for the 2017-2022 period. However, there is no guarantee that the House will confirm any of the candidates specially selected by a team formed by Joko Widodo.
An internal Commission II meeting held on Monday (27/3) decided that screenings for the KPU and Bawaslu member candidates would be held on April 3-5, 2017. As part of preparations for the screenings, the commission will hold today a meeting to set up the code of conduct for the screenings. Then, on Thursday (30/3), the commission will hear the explanation of the selection team.
Commission II deputy chairman from the Gerindra Party faction Ahmad Riza Patria said, when contacted in Jakarta on Tuesday (28/3), that the commission would screen the 24 KPU and Bawaslu member candidates put forward by the government. However, as explained in the Constitution, several things can happen in regard to the selection results at the House.
“It is possible that seven KPU commissioner and five Bawaslu commissioners will be chosen, but also some could be selected or none at all. It all depends on the dynamics and selection process later. The law says that this is possible and the authority is with the House of Representatives,” Riza said.
Articles 15 and 89 of Law No 15/2011 on election organizer states that the House can ask the president to re-nominate KPU and Bawaslu member candidates if none of the candidates are selected from the screenings or if the number of candidates selected is fewer than what is needed by the KPU and Bawaslu.
The nomination of new candidates by the president, which consists of twice as many candidates as required, must be done within 14 days of the House’s issuance of a rejection letter.
Selection committee explanation
Commission II member from the PDI-P party faction, Arteria Dahlan, said the selection process and the decision of the House would depend on the explanation by the selection committee when it is summoned by Commission II on Thursday. If the committee is able to convince that the selection process has been carried out correctly, the commission can make a decision on the candidates as a whole. “But that is still indefinite because we need to ensure that the names are worthy [of selection]. We can decide [on the candidates] as a whole or only choose some that are worthy,” he said.
However, according to the Constitution and Democracy (Kode) Inisiatif head Veri Junaidi, the 24 KPU and Bawaslu member candidates selected by the selection team are the best in terms of competence and integrity. This is because they made it through a tight, open and independent selection process. So, whoever is chosen, the KPU and Bawaslu will still be filled with the best.
Therefore, Veri added, if the House thinks otherwise and decides none of the candidates should be chosen, suspicions will be raised among the public. “A number of suspicions will surface, such as the House rejecting the candidates because the existing candidates cannot be swayed by the interests of the political parties at the House of Representatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo appreciated the decision of Commission II to continue to carry out the screenings, as it is in compliance with the mandate of the Constitution. The decision was also better than a suggestion from some House members who wanted the terms of KPU and Bawaslu members to be extended through a government regulation in lieu of law until the election bill was ratified.
“Regarding whether there will be changes in the election bill, both related to the requirements or membership of KPU and Bawaslu, this can be adjusted later. Now what is important is that the Constitution has not been breached and there is no vacuum in the KPU and Bawaslu because the current KPU and Bawaslu commissioners will end their terms on April 12,” Tjahjo said.
(AGE/APA/NDY )
