MPR CHAIRMAN ASKS KPU TO HEED QUALITY OF LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES

Jakarta, Oct 10 (ANTARA) - Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Hidayat Nurwahid asked the General Election Commission (KPU) to take the quality of prospective legislative candidates into account.
"If necessary, erase their names after the finding of new facts indicating their ineligibility to become the people's representatives following their involvement in legal cases," Hidayat was quoted by his an expert staff as saying after a get-together of MPR at the parliamentary building here on Friday.
According to Hidayat, if the information conveyed by the community turned out to be righ, KPU needed to take a follow up step professionally and quickly by erasing the names of problematic candidates.
"However, again it should be supported by reliable proofs which have nothing to do with political rivalry. Perhaps, a certain group is compelled to commit slander just for the sake of political interest. KPU in this case should take a preventive step in seeing the report or the case," he said.
Hidayat also appealed to the KPU to uphold the mandate to enable the 2009 general elections for clean and responsible politicians.