Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced on Sunday that 18 political parties had failed the administrative verification process that must be completed to run in the 2014 general elections.
KPU chairman Husni Kamil Malik said the parties would not be allowed to field candidates in the legislative and presidential elections.
Among the failed parties are the Labor Party, the Christian-based Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) and the Union of Independent People (SRI), which had planned to nominate former finance minister Sri Mulyani – now World Bank managing director – as presidential candidate in the 2014 election.
The KPU also announced that 16 political parties had passed an administrative stage and were now allowed to join the final screening stage before being declared eligible to contest the 2014 general elections.
The parties are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Democratic Party and the United Development Party (PPP).
Three rising political parties, the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and the National Democrat Party (Nasdem) have all been given the go-ahead to join the next stage of the process.
The six minor political parties, both old and new, which have been declared eligible to join the next stage of verification, are the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), the National Unity Party (PPN), the National Care for People Party (PPRN), the Democratic Renewal Party (PDP) and the New Indonesian Nation Sovereignty Party (PKBIB).
In 2009, the Muslim-based PBB failed to meet the 2.5 percent parliamentary threshold by getting only 1.7 percent of the popular vote. The party must register itself with the KPU to join the 2014 election.
Husni said that the KPU decision was made through a consensus. "All of the decisions made in today's meeting were based on the discussions of the commissioners. There was no voting," Husni said.
KPU commissioner Hadar N. Gumay said that the 16 political parties that passed the administrative test would join the second phase of assessment, the factual verification, starting on Monday.
"Some of the KPU commissioners will be dispatched to several regions tomorrow, in order to check the membership of each political party at the district and city levels. We have sent letters regarding this to all 16 political parties," Hadar said.
Following the announcement, the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) said it would start hearing complaints from the 18 political parties that failed the administrative verification process.
"If they find any irregularities in the verification stage, they should file a complaint and we will launch our investigations. If the allegations can be proven, any KPU decisions, including this one, can be annulled," Bawaslu member Nasrullah told reporters.
The KPU expects the verification process to be completed by early next year. "We are scheduled to make the final assessment in the first week of January 2013," he added.
The administrative verification process has been marred with technical problems leading to some delays.
In early October, the KPU announced that none of the 34 registered political parties had met all administrative requirements and gave the parties one week to resubmit the required documents to join the next step of the verification process. (yps)