Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Golkar Party, the biggest faction in the House of Representatives, has led the way in declaring its support for independent candidates to contest direct elections in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

The stance was revealed in a hearing Wednesday, during which all factions unanimously expressed their agreement to continue the deliberation of the bill on the governance of Aceh.

Led by legislator Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, the session was also attended by Information Minister Sofyan A. Djalil, Home Minister M. Ma'ruf and Deputy Chairperson of the Regional Representatives Council, Sri Kadarwati.

Speaking on behalf of Golkar, legislator Abdul Gafur told the hearing that independent candidates should be seen as a form of affirmative action, which would accommodate the participation of all Acehnese groups in politics.

"Independents will be a type of affirmative action that can ensure the participation of all Acehnese elements in politics, while local political parties have yet to be established," he said.

However, Golkar proposed that they should only be able to run as independents, if supported by 3 percent of the overall population in Aceh, the same requirement applied to political parties.

With 126 of 550 seats in the House, the Golkar Party is the largest faction and is considered to be pro-administration. It is now led by Jusuf Kalla, who is the vice president and one of the key architects behind the August 2005 peace pact between the government and the then Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which ended over 30 years of conflict in the province.

The National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Democrat Party also offered full support for further deliberation of the bill.

"The bill will ensure the protection of people with differing views in the country. We don't take the position that some people have, who say the bill would prompt other provinces to separate from Indonesia," legislator Sayuti Asyatri of PAN said.

Democrat legislator Teuku Rifky Harsya said it was time for the country to allow Aceh to exercise its rights as past governments had been very "centralistic" while applying top-down approaches in the province.

Golkar said it was also ready to allow an allocation of natural resources-based revenue, which is more than the 3 percent proposed in the bill. "We understand that the Acehnese need more money to build the province, particularly after the tsunami," Abdul Gafur said.

However, Golkar raised its opposition to the possible establishment of a human rights tribunal in Aceh. "We shall not root out something that has been happened in the past," the legislator said.

The Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) maintained its stance to reject the truce, but announced that it was ready to deliberate the bill for the sake of the Acehnese.

"We don't reject peace in Aceh, we only expect a lasting peace and prosperity for the Acehnese. They don't need an empty promise," legislator Sutjipto said.

PDI-P rejected a clause in the bill that requires the House to get approval from the Aceh legislative council if the national legislature issues a policy involving Aceh.

The special committee deliberating the bill is set to meet Maj. Gen. Bambang Darmono, who represents Indonesia in the EU-led Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM).

During the peace talks in Helsinki last year GAM dropped its demand of total independence in return for a form of self-governance within the context of the Republic of Indonesia.

Some parties, including former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and her PDI-P, the military and the police retired officer groups, as well as former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid have opposed the bill, saying they fear a possible separation of Aceh from Indonesia.