Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The government kicked off its process to qualify political parties looking to contest the 2014 polls, while smaller parties requested more time pending a judicial review on a newly revised law, which they claimed set difficult requirements.
Shihabuddin Azhari, the director of state administration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, said the ministry would begin registration for the verification process on Monday. "The verification process will continue until July as required by the law," he told The Jakarta Post.
The newly revised political parties law stipulates that the verification process must end two-and-a-half years before the next elections. This means all registering parties have to fulfill requirements by July or face being excluded from the next elections.
The revisions also make it more difficult for smaller parties to join the elections. It requires parties to have offices in all 33 provinces, 75 percent of the cities and regencies in each province, and 50 percent of the districts in each city and regency. The offices must be permanent, at least until the election has ended.
Most parties with seats in the House of Representatives said they were ready for the verification process despite the tighter rules.
Anas Urbaningrum, the chairman of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, said his party was prepared. "Our party has branches throughout the archipelago all the way down to the village level," he claimed.
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Tjahjo Kumolo also said his party was ready.
Muhammad "Romi" Romahurmuziy, the deputy secretary-general of the United Development Party (PPP), said his party – with established offices in 33 provinces, 486 cities and regencies, and more than 6,000 districts – was also prepared for the verification process.
However, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said it would need until March to ensure it could fulfill all requirements. "We are running our own verification process from now to February," he said.
Small parties claim the new rules put them at a disadvantage, with 19 saying they planned to file a judicial review with the Constitutional Court on Monday.
"This law is a blow to democracy and impedes on the people's constitutional right to establish political parties," Didi Supriyanto, the secretary-general of the National Union Forum (FPN), which represents 15 smaller parties, said.
He said it would be difficult for smaller parties to establish hundreds of branch offices as required by the law. "It's obvious that politicians from established parties don't want small parties participating in the elections," he said.
The FPN represents parties that participated in the 2009 elections but failed to win a seat in the House.
Some politicians have raised concerns over the government's readiness for the verification process. "We are worried whether the Law and Human Rights Ministry has properly prepared officials tasked with conducting the verification process," Anas said.