An NGO says the recent attempt by the House of Representatives to revise the political package laws was arrogant, as it centered solely on how to increase votes and not on improving quality.
“The lawmakers, if they really have concerns, should deliberate firmer rules on matters like how to encourage political parties to be more transparent in relations with money, or they could also think of a better system that would allow them to recruit better members in the future,” center for electoral reform director Hadar Gumay said Thursday.
The statement was made in response to recent debate between politicians over problems with general elections, such as whether legislators should maintain the current 2.5 percent legislative threshold or increase it to 5 percent as suggested by large parties like the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
House interior commission member Agun Gunanjar Gunarsa said lawmakers had engaged in broad conversations, including over the criticized topic.
“I must admit that we reached no meaningful consensus up to this date. But, I don’t mean that we will stop discussing that. The process is still ongoing,” Agun said.
He, for example, said he fully supported every effort to be more transparent with the party’s fund management.
“We need to discuss how political parties are supposed to earn decent money in the future,” he said.
Full Article: NGO says House arrogant over election law revision | The Jakarta Post.