Dian Kuswandini and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 10/17/2008 10:23 AM | Headlines
A voting mechanism will be legislators' last resort to pass the presidential election bill, with most major factions at the House of Representatives sticking to their guns on the contentious point of nominating a president.
Political parties are split over the threshold -- the minimum percentage of House seats held by a party or coalition -- needed for the party or coalition to nominate its own presidential candidate.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) held their position of proposing a 15 percent threshold. At the other end, the country's two biggest political parties, the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), insisted on a 25-30 percent threshold.
Other parties -- including the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) -- have compromised on a 20 percent threshold.
PDI-P legislator and deputy head of the House's special committee deliberating the bill, Yasonna Laoly, said Wednesday evening's lobby had failed to reach a consensus.
"Most factions agreed to between 20 and 26 percent of total seats threshold, except for the PAN and the Democratic Party, which insisted on 15 percent," she said.
PAN legislator Andi Yuliani Paris said her party would stick with 15 percent.
"It's fine if we lose in the voting mechanism. We already compromised and gradually increased our percentage six times," she said.
The voting mechanism was also welcomed by Golkar and the PDI-P.
Golkar secretary-general Sumarsono said his party would not lower the threshold below 25 percent, saying it had compromised by cutting it down from 30 percent. Tjahyo Kumolo, chairman of the PDI-P's faction at the House, said a 26 percent threshold was his party's limit.
"We'll be ready to vote," he said.
The House has extended the sitting period to Oct. 30 from the previously scheduled Oct. 24, to accommodate prolonged lobbying over the issue. However, House deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar of the PKB said the bill would be passed in the Oct. 22 plenary session, cutting lobbying possibilities and opening the way for voting.
The voting means Golkar and the PDI-P, with 128 and 109 House seats respectively, could force for bill adoption with threshold.
"If we have to vote, then we want a 30 percent threshold," Sumarsono said.
With his only support coming from the Democratic Party, which garnered only 8 percent of national votes, Yudhoyono needs to keep the threshold as low as possible to allow him run for president again without needing to form a coalition.
In Bandung, Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto said the government would lobby all parties at the House to prevent the presidential nomination threshold being decided through a vote.
Yuli Tri Wahyuni contributed to the story from Bandung
A voting mechanism will be legislators' last resort to pass the presidential election bill, with most major factions at the House of Representatives sticking to their guns on the contentious point of nominating a president.
Political parties are split over the threshold -- the minimum percentage of House seats held by a party or coalition -- needed for the party or coalition to nominate its own presidential candidate.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) held their position of proposing a 15 percent threshold. At the other end, the country's two biggest political parties, the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), insisted on a 25-30 percent threshold.
Other parties -- including the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) -- have compromised on a 20 percent threshold.
PDI-P legislator and deputy head of the House's special committee deliberating the bill, Yasonna Laoly, said Wednesday evening's lobby had failed to reach a consensus.
"Most factions agreed to between 20 and 26 percent of total seats threshold, except for the PAN and the Democratic Party, which insisted on 15 percent," she said.
PAN legislator Andi Yuliani Paris said her party would stick with 15 percent.
"It's fine if we lose in the voting mechanism. We already compromised and gradually increased our percentage six times," she said.
The voting mechanism was also welcomed by Golkar and the PDI-P.
Golkar secretary-general Sumarsono said his party would not lower the threshold below 25 percent, saying it had compromised by cutting it down from 30 percent. Tjahyo Kumolo, chairman of the PDI-P's faction at the House, said a 26 percent threshold was his party's limit.
"We'll be ready to vote," he said.
The House has extended the sitting period to Oct. 30 from the previously scheduled Oct. 24, to accommodate prolonged lobbying over the issue. However, House deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar of the PKB said the bill would be passed in the Oct. 22 plenary session, cutting lobbying possibilities and opening the way for voting.
The voting means Golkar and the PDI-P, with 128 and 109 House seats respectively, could force for bill adoption with threshold.
"If we have to vote, then we want a 30 percent threshold," Sumarsono said.
With his only support coming from the Democratic Party, which garnered only 8 percent of national votes, Yudhoyono needs to keep the threshold as low as possible to allow him run for president again without needing to form a coalition.
In Bandung, Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto said the government would lobby all parties at the House to prevent the presidential nomination threshold being decided through a vote.
Yuli Tri Wahyuni contributed to the story from Bandung