ID :
54403
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 13:10
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https://www.oananews.org//node/54403
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News Focus: INT'L INSTITUTIONS AWAIT THURSDAY'S LEGISLATIVE POLLS IN ACEH
By Bustanuddin
Jakarta, April 8 (ANTARA) - Despite the legislative polls in Indonesia's western-most province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) as part of the country's general elections on April 9, 2009, the Aceh polls will likely be rather interesting in view of the participation of six local parties.
The first-ever participation of local political parties -- Aceh Party (PA), Aceh People's Party (PRA), Aceh Unity Party (PBA), Atjeh Sovereign Party (PDA), Prosperous Peace Aceh Party (PAAS), and Aceh People's Independent Aspiration (SIRA) party -- the polls drew international attention.
The establishment of the parties was an implementation of the peace accord reached between the Indonesian government and the former Aceh Free Movement (GAM), signed in Helsinki, the Swedish capital, on August 15, 2005.
The parties will vie for 69 seats at the provincial legislative councils (DPRA) and 645 seats at 23 districts/municipals legislative councils.
A total of 3,009.965 eligible voters in the predominantly Muslim province as noted in the permanent voters list (DPT) issued by the General Election Commission (KPU) were expected to exercise their voting right in the Thursday polls.
The constituents namely 362,157 voters live in North Aceh district, 280,463 voters in Pidie district, 259,990 voters in Bireuen district, 236,320 voters in East Aceh district, 230,362 voters in Aceh Besar district, 165,871 voters in Aceh Tamiang district, 140,715 voters in South Aceh district, 130,177 voters in Banda Aceh municipality, and 124,220 voters in Southeast Aceh district.
Voters in the towns of Sabang totaled 20,836, in Pidie Jaya 90,711, in Aceh Jaya 51,012, in Nagan Raya 97,203, in Central Aceh 122,336, in Bener Meriah 86,015, in Lhokseumawe 122,507, in Langsa 92,759, in Gayo Luwes 50,421, in Aceh Singkil 61,084, in Subulussalam 37,436, in Aceh Barat Daya district 88,518, in South Aceh district 140,715 and in Simeulue island 51,300.
The number of constituents in the Aceh polls is part of around 171 million eligible voters expected to cast their votes for the 38 political parties vying for the 560 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR).
According to Nurjani Abdullah, chairperson of the observers working group (Pokja) at the NAD Independent Election Commission (KIP), in Banda Aceh on Tuesday, eight international institutions which had been accredited by the General Elections Commission (KPU) are expected to monitor the legislative elections.
The international institutions comprising the Carter Center, the European Union (EU), International Republican Institute (IRI), Australian Embassy, International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) Foundation, and National Democracy Institute (NDI).
In addition, seven national institutions namely the Independent Committee for Election Monitoring (KIPP), Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), the Institute of Research, Education and Information on Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES), Garda Santri Nusantara Election Monitoring, Public Issues Network (JIP), and the Election Monitoring Committee of the Indonesian Muslim Students Association Alumni Corps (KPP KAHMI) had also been permitted by the KPU to monitor the elections in the province.
Apart from that, six local institutions in the province --the Aceh Non-governmental Organizations Forum, Community of Aceh Resources Development (e-CARD), Pidie Jaya National Youth Committee, Titian Keadilan Organization, Aceh Security Group, and Youth Students Executive Board Family Association (IKABEMA) --will also monitor the elections.
In the meantime, the Aceh governor Irwandi Yusuf had also expressed the provincial preparedness to carry out the polls.
The governor with all provincial leaders across the country reported the election preparation in their respective areas to Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto through a teleconference.
The preparation was also reported to General Election Commission (KPU) chairman Haviz Anshari, Election Supervisory Board (Banwaslu) chairman Nur Hidayat Sardini, and National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri.
In his report to the home affairs minister through the teleconference, the Aceh governor said the election logistics in the province had already been distributed to Subdistrict Election Committee (PPK) in all districts.
According to the govenor, there was no problem with Permanent Voters List (DPT) for more than three million people.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Muhammad Nazar expressed hope that people in Aceh would use their rights to vote freely and without any fear on polling day on April 9.
He called on political party supporters and sympathizers as well as legislative candidates in the province to remember that winning or losing in elections was something normal and therefore they should accept whatever the results of the polls were.
In the meantime, report from Malaysia said that Hasan Tiro, the declarer of former Aceh Free Movement (GAM), will also monitor the implementation of the legislative election in Aceh.
Hasan Tiro has already been in Selangor, Malaysia, Indonesia ambassador to Malaysia Dai Bachtiar confirmed on Saturday (April 4).
"Indeed Hasan Tiro has been in Malaysia for the past several days and some embassy staff have also met his personal secretary in Shah Alam, Selangor," he said after attending the inauguration of election monitoring committees for seven consulates general in three foreign countries.
Tiro who arrived in Malaysia on March 31, planned to monitor the implementation of the legislative election in Aceh and would even come to his home village on April 9 for the purpose.
However his visit to Aceh will be determined by his health condition as well as security condition in the region. If he failed to come to Aceh he will conduct the monitoring from Malaysia, the report said.
Aceh was devastated by a gigantic tsunami on December 26, 2004, which killed at least 150,000 people, thousands of others went missing
and destroyed most of infrastructures in the province's western coastal regions.
Ahead of the legislative general elections, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had also asked all (44 political parties in the country) to make the 2009 elections proceed safely, orderly, smoothly, honestly, fairly, and democratically.
"Let us make sure that there will be no irregularities and violations in the upcoming elections. And I ask all people of Indonesia to make sure that the elections will run smoothly and democratically," the president said.
The nation of course hoped that the legislative polls which reportedly needed a cost of about 21 trillion rupiah will run better than the previous ones.
Jakarta, April 8 (ANTARA) - Despite the legislative polls in Indonesia's western-most province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) as part of the country's general elections on April 9, 2009, the Aceh polls will likely be rather interesting in view of the participation of six local parties.
The first-ever participation of local political parties -- Aceh Party (PA), Aceh People's Party (PRA), Aceh Unity Party (PBA), Atjeh Sovereign Party (PDA), Prosperous Peace Aceh Party (PAAS), and Aceh People's Independent Aspiration (SIRA) party -- the polls drew international attention.
The establishment of the parties was an implementation of the peace accord reached between the Indonesian government and the former Aceh Free Movement (GAM), signed in Helsinki, the Swedish capital, on August 15, 2005.
The parties will vie for 69 seats at the provincial legislative councils (DPRA) and 645 seats at 23 districts/municipals legislative councils.
A total of 3,009.965 eligible voters in the predominantly Muslim province as noted in the permanent voters list (DPT) issued by the General Election Commission (KPU) were expected to exercise their voting right in the Thursday polls.
The constituents namely 362,157 voters live in North Aceh district, 280,463 voters in Pidie district, 259,990 voters in Bireuen district, 236,320 voters in East Aceh district, 230,362 voters in Aceh Besar district, 165,871 voters in Aceh Tamiang district, 140,715 voters in South Aceh district, 130,177 voters in Banda Aceh municipality, and 124,220 voters in Southeast Aceh district.
Voters in the towns of Sabang totaled 20,836, in Pidie Jaya 90,711, in Aceh Jaya 51,012, in Nagan Raya 97,203, in Central Aceh 122,336, in Bener Meriah 86,015, in Lhokseumawe 122,507, in Langsa 92,759, in Gayo Luwes 50,421, in Aceh Singkil 61,084, in Subulussalam 37,436, in Aceh Barat Daya district 88,518, in South Aceh district 140,715 and in Simeulue island 51,300.
The number of constituents in the Aceh polls is part of around 171 million eligible voters expected to cast their votes for the 38 political parties vying for the 560 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR).
According to Nurjani Abdullah, chairperson of the observers working group (Pokja) at the NAD Independent Election Commission (KIP), in Banda Aceh on Tuesday, eight international institutions which had been accredited by the General Elections Commission (KPU) are expected to monitor the legislative elections.
The international institutions comprising the Carter Center, the European Union (EU), International Republican Institute (IRI), Australian Embassy, International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) Foundation, and National Democracy Institute (NDI).
In addition, seven national institutions namely the Independent Committee for Election Monitoring (KIPP), Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), the Institute of Research, Education and Information on Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES), Garda Santri Nusantara Election Monitoring, Public Issues Network (JIP), and the Election Monitoring Committee of the Indonesian Muslim Students Association Alumni Corps (KPP KAHMI) had also been permitted by the KPU to monitor the elections in the province.
Apart from that, six local institutions in the province --the Aceh Non-governmental Organizations Forum, Community of Aceh Resources Development (e-CARD), Pidie Jaya National Youth Committee, Titian Keadilan Organization, Aceh Security Group, and Youth Students Executive Board Family Association (IKABEMA) --will also monitor the elections.
In the meantime, the Aceh governor Irwandi Yusuf had also expressed the provincial preparedness to carry out the polls.
The governor with all provincial leaders across the country reported the election preparation in their respective areas to Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto through a teleconference.
The preparation was also reported to General Election Commission (KPU) chairman Haviz Anshari, Election Supervisory Board (Banwaslu) chairman Nur Hidayat Sardini, and National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri.
In his report to the home affairs minister through the teleconference, the Aceh governor said the election logistics in the province had already been distributed to Subdistrict Election Committee (PPK) in all districts.
According to the govenor, there was no problem with Permanent Voters List (DPT) for more than three million people.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Muhammad Nazar expressed hope that people in Aceh would use their rights to vote freely and without any fear on polling day on April 9.
He called on political party supporters and sympathizers as well as legislative candidates in the province to remember that winning or losing in elections was something normal and therefore they should accept whatever the results of the polls were.
In the meantime, report from Malaysia said that Hasan Tiro, the declarer of former Aceh Free Movement (GAM), will also monitor the implementation of the legislative election in Aceh.
Hasan Tiro has already been in Selangor, Malaysia, Indonesia ambassador to Malaysia Dai Bachtiar confirmed on Saturday (April 4).
"Indeed Hasan Tiro has been in Malaysia for the past several days and some embassy staff have also met his personal secretary in Shah Alam, Selangor," he said after attending the inauguration of election monitoring committees for seven consulates general in three foreign countries.
Tiro who arrived in Malaysia on March 31, planned to monitor the implementation of the legislative election in Aceh and would even come to his home village on April 9 for the purpose.
However his visit to Aceh will be determined by his health condition as well as security condition in the region. If he failed to come to Aceh he will conduct the monitoring from Malaysia, the report said.
Aceh was devastated by a gigantic tsunami on December 26, 2004, which killed at least 150,000 people, thousands of others went missing
and destroyed most of infrastructures in the province's western coastal regions.
Ahead of the legislative general elections, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had also asked all (44 political parties in the country) to make the 2009 elections proceed safely, orderly, smoothly, honestly, fairly, and democratically.
"Let us make sure that there will be no irregularities and violations in the upcoming elections. And I ask all people of Indonesia to make sure that the elections will run smoothly and democratically," the president said.
The nation of course hoped that the legislative polls which reportedly needed a cost of about 21 trillion rupiah will run better than the previous ones.
