Tony Hotland and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – New rules governing independent candidates in regional elections would most likely be engineered in favor of established parties, analysts and lawmakers warned Monday.
Speakers at a Monday forum organized by the Indonesian Community for Democracy in Jakarta said statements by party executives that independent candidates should, like parties, have 15 percent of the vote from the previous election behind them in order to qualify was an indication that parties were trying to secure their dominance of the political system.
Experts also said the definition of who was an independent candidate would likely be watered down, since the guidelines would be up to the House of Representatives, itself dominated by parties.
"There's no such thing as being independent in terms of political affiliation. Parties will also invest in these so-called independent hopefuls," said law expert Mahfud MD, who is also on the executive of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
He said it was almost certain independent candidates would embrace party allegiance and even join party executives after being elected. Vice President Jusuf Kalla defied his own Golkar Party in 2004 to run for office with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono under the ticket of Yudhoyono's Democratic Party. Kalla was elected Golkar chairman three months after entering office.
A member of the National Law Commission, Fajrul Falaakh, said studies in many countries had shown independent candidates were affiliated with parties one way or another. He said the Constitutional Court's July 23 ruling allowing independent candidates in regional elections lacked specifics.
"Does it include party people running by themselves or non-party people? Can they be nominated by civil servants, the police or the military? How long after their party membership is over can they claim independence? This is where the House will come in," Fajrul said.
Ichlasul Amal, a political scientist and member of the Press Council, said the fact the government needed the support of the legislature to pass the rules meant it was inevitable independent candidates would end up being affiliated with parties.
Last month's Constitutional Court ruling allowing independent candidates will require the revision of the 2004 law on Local Administration.
The deputy chairman of the House legislative committee, Bomer Pasaribu, said separately Monday that the committee planned to pass amendments to allow independent candidates to start running from January 2008.
State Secretary Hatta Radjasa said the government would meet with the House next Wednesday to discuss the revision.