City helps out to speed up vote count<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In an attempt to speed up the vote counting
\nprocess, Governor Sutiyoso has provided Rp 5 million (US$745) to
\neach of the 48 political party's representatives at the Jakarta
\nProvincial Election Committee (PPD I), a senior executive at the
\ncity administration said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The reliable source, who requested anonymity, said the
\ngovernor took the step to ensure vote counting in the capital
\ncould pick up its pace and remove any further obstacles.<\/p>\n
\"It's shameful that vote counting in the city, which in fact
\nshould be an example of the success of the election process in
\nthe country, has so far run too slowly, while in the area the
\nprocess could occur much more speedily,\" the official said.<\/p>\n
The source said that to attain the goal Sutiyoso considered it
\nnecessary to give the committee members an \"incentive\".<\/p>\n
While the governor could not be reached for comment, party
\nrepresentatives at the PPD I denied the allegation.<\/p>\n
PPD I chairman Djafar Badjeber, who represented the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), said: \"We have not received any such
\nfunds. Even if it is proved true, the amount is too small. We
\nwould then have a feeling of being belittled.<\/p>\n
\"If some of our members change their mind and are willing to
\nsign the vote result reports, it is only because of their
\nresponsibility as citizens,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Justice Party (PK) representative Faqih Munandar said he had
\nnothing of the governor's measure.<\/p>\n
\"There is a possibility that such practices may occur if the
\nparties immediately change their decision (to sign the vote
\nresults report), but so far I haven't heard about it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Djafar, however, acknowledged that he strongly supported the
\ngovernor's stance to forge a successful outcome for the election
\nprocess in Jakarta, which was the barometer for all the provinces
\nin the country.<\/p>\n
Vote counting in the city has run at a sluggish pace for a
\nvariety of reasons, in particular as a result of claims of
\nalleged violations in the counting process made by the smaller
\npolitical parties.<\/p>\n
Threaten<\/p>\n
At least 32 minor parties earlier threatened not to sign the
\ncounting results if the violations could not be explained
\nsatisfactorily.<\/p>\n
Their stance had caused a delay in the counting process on
\nseveral occasions.<\/p>\n
However, their position appeared to soften on Wednesday, when
\nit was agreed that the official reports on the vote result would
\nbe signed, but with additional notes.<\/p>\n
According to the source, the governor assigned the city
\nadministration's representative in the election committee,
\nTursandi Alwi, as the contact person for the fund.<\/p>\n
The source said Tursandi held a closed meeting with PPD I
\nexecutives on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
In a related development on Wednesday, the committee's program
\ndivision, led by Pitoyo Adhi, revealed that the validity of the
\ncount, from random sampling taken from 334 voting places, could
\nonly be guaranteed in 37 percent of voting places in the city.<\/p>\n
Pitoyo said the low outcome was chiefly the result of
\ndocuments going missing during the PPD I counting process.<\/p>\n
\"For that reason, I offer the plenary session of PPD I today
\nto take a decision to sign the vote results with additional notes
\nto state that only 37 percent of the votes are valid,\" he said.
\n(ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-helps-out-to-speed-up-vote-count-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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