Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Thursday selected seven candidates for the General Elections Commission (KPU) whose names will be submitted to the President for final approval.
The seven are: Abdul Hafiz Anshary with 43 votes, Sri Nuryanti (42), Endang Sulastri (40), I Gusti Putu Artha (37), Samsul Bahri (36), Andi Nurpati (29) and Abdul Azis (27).
Three of the nominees – Sri Nurhayati, Endang Sulastri and Andi Nurpati – are women. The seven were selected from 20 candidates during a vote of House Commission II, which oversees home affairs. Of the commission's 52 members, only 48 voted. The other four members were absent.
"This is the best we could do according to the law (the 2007 law on elections)," E.E Mangindaan, chairman of the House commission, said.
He said all seven of the nominees proved they were qualified during the three-day "fit-and-proper test" that ended Wednesday. "They are a good combination because they have various backgrounds. I hope they can complement each other," he said.
He also expressed satisfaction with the potential presence of three women on the poll body, which is charged with organizing the 2009 general election. "The 30 percent membership of women has been fulfilled, as stipulated in the law," Mangindaan said.
Deputy chairman of the commission, Sayuthi Asyatri, hoped everyone would accept the results of the selection process. He pointed out that the nominees represented different regions of Indonesia.
Abdul Hafiz Anshary is from South Kalimantan; Sri Nuryanti and Endang Sulastri are from Central Java; I Gusti Putu Artha is from Bali; Syamsul Bahri is from South Sumatra; Andi Nurpati is from South Sulawesi; and Abdul Azis is from West Java.
"We were very serious in selecting them, therefore we hope everyone can accept the final result," he told detik.com newsportal.
Priyo Budi Santoso, chairman of the Golkar Party faction at the House, said legislators carefully examined the track records of the candidates in the hope of preventing a repeat of the graft allegations that have dogged the current KPU lineup. "I'm sure they can work the best they can," he said.
Nursjahbani Katjasungkana of the National Awakening Party (PKB) expressed hope the female members would do their best to represent all Indonesian women. "I hope they can adhere to the value of honesty and loyalty to the law in doing their job," she said.
Hadar N. Gumay, executive director of the Center for Electoral Reform, expressed dissatisfaction with the seven nominees. He said most lacked experience in the election process, with some having absolutely no experience. "We don't need commissioners who are still learning considering the heavy responsibility they will face," he said.
Hadar said the situation was different from 2004, when everyone was going through the first general election together. "But whatever it is, we should accept this result and give them our support since everything they do will affect the results of our election," he said. He only hoped the KPU members would be open to criticism and input regarding the election process.