Complaints about voting hitches pour in<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Complaints about voting hitches poured in
\nyesterday from several quarters but mostly from the minority
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the United Development
\nParty (PPP).<\/p>\n
PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said his party would remain
\non guard against possible rigging.<\/p>\n
Casting his ballot near his home in Widyachandra housing
\ncomplex in South Jakarta, Ismail said there had been reports from
\nPPP branches that electoral committee officials distributed
\nballot papers that had already been marked.<\/p>\n
PPP's Riau branch complained that a village head had voted
\ntwice at different polling stations.<\/p>\n
PDI chairman Soerjadi said many PDI volunteers were barred
\nfrom being party' scrutineers.<\/p>\n
\"This has happened for years. Our scrutineers were intimidated
\nahead of voting,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said his supporters had been intimidated by supporters of
\nhis rival Megawati Soekarnoputri, the woman he ousted as party
\nchairwoman last year.<\/p>\n
Despite the internal conflict Soerjadi was optimistic the
\nparty would improve its vote. The PDI had its best showing in
\n1992 with 56 seats in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
But Golkar chairman Harmoko shrugged off reports that many
\npolling stations did not have PPP and PDI scrutineers.<\/p>\n
The polling was valid despite the absence of one or two
\nscrutineers, Harmoko said.<\/p>\n
\"Vote counting can go ahead even if a polling station was not
\nattended by one or two observers of certain parties,\" he said,
\nquoting Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.<\/p>\n
Ulemas<\/p>\n
Harmoko voted at the polling booth in Rengasdengklok, West
\nJava.<\/p>\n
He said Golkar would hold a meeting at its headquarters Monday
\nto evaluate the party's election performance.<\/p>\n
Moslem leaders were quick yesterday to explain away comment's
\nby the Indonesian Council of Ulemas's (MUI) chairman, Hasan
\nBasri, that Moslems would be sinning if they did not vote.<\/p>\n
While offering different arguments to justify or reject the
\nidea the ulemas called for the issue to be explored to avoid
\nmisunderstanding.<\/p>\n
MUI's Ibrahim Hosen and Ali Yafie, the Islamic Propagation
\nCouncil of Indonesia's Hussein Umar and the Indonesian Committee
\nfor World Moslem Solidarity's Ahmad Sumargono were interviewed
\nseparately by The Jakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Hassan was quoted by Antara as saying that \"those who do not
\nexercise their right to vote or invalidate ballots spoil Allah's
\ndivine gift of grace\"..<\/p>\n
Hussein, who is a PPP House of Representatives candidate, said
\nvoting was a democratic mechanism to establish people's
\nsovereignty.<\/p>\n
\"Every citizen has the right to vote, if he doesn't use it,
\nthat's his right too,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"What if a person just can't bring himself to vote because his
\nconscience says not to vote?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
\"It's the responsibility of the campaigners to convince people
\nto vote,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim Hosen said that according to Islamic teaching, people
\nhave to deliberate and reach consensus and that deliberation is
\nwhat differentiates a democratic system from a dictatorial one.<\/p>\n
\"The affairs of a government have to be conducted through
\nconsensus. This deliberation is a must, and you would be sinning
\nif you didn't do it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that a general election could be seen a means to reach
\nconsensus and therefore had to be followed.<\/p>\n
But he said sin \"was too strong a word\".<\/p>\n
Sumargono said not voting was not a sin.<\/p>\n
\"Ungrateful for Allah's grace maybe, but not a sin,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We have for so many years enjoyed a stable life. If there's
\ndissatisfaction over the political order, it's understandable.
\nBut there are other ways to express it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But he said there were still many things to be grateful for.<\/p>\n
\"If it is said that not voting is tantamount to being
\nungrateful for Allah's bounty, it's acceptable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the word \"sin\" conjured a relationship between a
\nperson and his Creator.<\/p>\n
\"You sin if you do something that is against Allah's will.
\nTake the question of Islamic alms and paying tax,\" he said. \"If
\nyou don't pay your tax you are not sinning, but you're not a good
\ncitizen. On the other hand, you sin if you don't pay your alms\".<\/p>\n
Ali Yafie, who is also a Golkar campaigner, said Hasan Basri
\nwas only calling on people to be good citizens and vote.<\/p>\n
\"Establishing a good state (nation) is one of many religious
\nendeavors,\" he said. (swe\/05\/03\/12)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/complaints-about-voting-hitches-pour-in-1447893297",
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