KPU swears in new members in South Sumatra, ends controversy

Palembang, Padang: The fees of the General Council of the Election Commission (KPH) has finally swore in four new members of the South Sumatra Regional Election Commission (KPUD) on Wednesday, after the controversy over the election of the members of the previous one. 

The four - Puspa Chandra Mirza, Ong Berlian, Kelly Mariani and Annisatul Mardia - replaced KPUD head and members Syafitri Irawan Helmi and Misniwati Achmad Ibrahim Bakri, who were recently dismissed because of the controversy. 

Also sworn in on Wednesday KPUD members were 14 regencies and municipalities in the south of Sumatra, in a ceremony chaired by Chief Hafiz KPH Ansyari provincial legislative building. 

During the ceremony, Hafiz hopes that the election of KPUD would be fair and democratic. He also warned members not voting KPUD platform in the upcoming elections. 

"He carries a heavy penalty," he said. 

Recently appointed to the KPUD OGAN Ilir regency council Nurhasan, 36, said he promised to work as best he could, and considered the controversy at the provincial level KPUD as a valuable lesson. 

"I am delighted to be appointed and I am optimistic that the awareness of citizens about the election, which was interrupted before could be launched as planned," Nurhasan, a teacher of Appeal said. He is registered as a member OGAN Ilir KPUD which was rejected by the KPH consulting fees in the recent scandal. 

The controversy over South Sumatra KPUD arises from the polarization between the two camps, the former head of the KPH Syafitri Irawan and one of his colleagues Helmi Ibrahim Bakri and Achmad Misniwati. 

The KPUD not solve the problem of many years of December 18 deadline set by the KPH, an honorary board, led by former Constitutional Court Head Jimly Asshidiq, a local South Sumatra, was set up for the applications of the Council of Regency KPUD and municipal candidates across the province. 

Meanwhile, in Lampung, the Supervisory Committee of the provincial elections (Panwaslu) found evidence of violations of the formation of seven offices KPUD, after investigating reports of the public. 

The seven offices KPUD suspected of breaking election laws Bandarlampung and Metro cities, Tulangbawang, Pesawaran South Lampung, West Lampung and North Lampung regencies. 

"Violations of the Law No 22/2007 on the election of implementation are generally in the form of an identity card handling, the lack of women, transparency, collusion and nepotism. We also examine monetary policy in the implementation of KPUDs in a number of regencies and cities, Lampung Panwaslu member Riko Firmansyah said Tuesday. 

According Riko, his office has new applications of candidates KPUD of team selection and provincial KPH. 

He added that the decision is entirely in the hands of the National Monitoring Elections (Bawaslu). "We will send details on the results of this week. It depends on the Bawaslu to decide whether to reject them," he said. 

According Riko, integrity and neutrality of a KPUD is at stake if a member is characterized by cronyism. "How could they exercise their functions, as the organizers of the elections if they are not independent and impartial in the interest of a party?" he said. 

He added that the process of selecting members KPUD was widespread irregularities, such as rain Tulangbawang council, where 11 candidates, one more than the ten that the selection of the team have been appointed. 

"Some of the members are elected KPUD showed candidates in parliamentary elections in 2004 and recently resigned as party leaders or members," said Riko. 

Previously Lampung Trenggono Nanang KPUD member said that the decision to appoint five board rains and municipal KPUD candidates instead of 10 is based on an evaluation. 

"So, the question of money or political patronage is not true. We have our integrity on the line," the professor of political science at the Padjadjaran University in Bandung, said.

According Syarief Makhya, a political observer at the University of Lampung, the results of Panwaslu, the people of Lampung more pessimistic about the elections of 2009. 

"As the only organization of the election is complicated, how will the results be? The public scrutiny is essential if KPUD to work professionally and independently," he said.