Athletes perform poorly in registration and voting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National athletes may triumph on the domestic
\nand international stages, but in the June 7 general election they
\ncame out losers.<\/p>\n
A number of national athletes failed to register to vote
\nbecause they were concentrating on their training for the 20th
\nSoutheast Asian Games in Brunei this August.<\/p>\n
Some of the athletes told The Jakarta Post and Kompas they
\nwere not even aware of the April 5 to May 15 voter registration
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't even know when the registration started and ended.
\nSome of my teammates from outside of Jakarta also failed to vote
\nbecause they had not registered in their hometowns,\" Umar
\nSyarief, a Surabaya-born karateka who competes in the men's 80
\nkilograms division, said.<\/p>\n
Umar said he would have voted for Golkar if he had registered
\nfor the elections. \"Golkar contributed to the success of national
\nsports development during its heyday.\"<\/p>\n
He also hoped that whichever party won the elections, they
\nwould focus more attention on developing sports in the country.<\/p>\n
Beach volleyball player I Made Sumaryatna from West Nusa
\nTenggara, who is being groomed for the World Championships in
\nZagreb, Croatia, blamed his failure to vote in the elections on
\nthe National Sports Council (KONI).<\/p>\n
\"I did not register because in previous elections KONI
\norganized our registration and built polling stations for us,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Basketball player I Gde Agus Wahyudi said he was so focused on
\nhis training he forgot to register for the polls.<\/p>\n
However, Agus went to the polling station at Moestopo
\nUniversity and showed officials his identity card, hoping this
\nwould earn him the right to vote. Poll officials, however,
\nrefused to bend the regulations for the athlete and would not
\nallow him to vote.<\/p>\n
\"I was really disappointed because I heard Rudini's (chairman
\nof the General Elections Commission) speech this morning saying
\nthat those who haven't registered could vote by showing their
\nidentity cards. I tried to do this, but they would not allow me,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
In the Monday morning speech, Rudini actually said that by
\nshowing their voter registration cards, voters could cast their
\nballots at any polling station, not just the one they had
\nregistered at.<\/p>\n
A supporter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan), Agus said: \"Imagine, my vote would be very
\nvaluable if PDI Perjuangan needed only one more vote to beat
\nother parties.\"<\/p>\n
Top soccer player Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto said he skipped the
\nelections because he did not have a chance to register in his
\nhometown of Magelang, Central Java. Kurniawan has been nominated
\nfor a seat in the provincial legislative council by the
\nRepublican Party.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't register because I couldn't go home. I visited
\nMagelang on May 27 when I took part in the campaign,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, not all athletes regretted not voting in the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Women's long jumper Nyoman Rai Trisandiana said she, sprinter
\nIrine Truitje Joseph and pole vaulter Dessy Margawati agreed not
\nto take part in the elections.<\/p>\n
\"There are too many parties now. We are confused. I used to
\nvote number two (Golkar Party) but now I don't want to,\" she
\nsaid. (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/athletes-perform-poorly-in-registration-and-voting-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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