Glasgow early voting is declared void<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has declared "void" the votes of
\n140 Indonesians in Glasgow, Scotland in Great Britain on
\nSaturday, or five days ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n
Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gaffar Fadyl,
\nand the deputy secretary-general of the General Elections
\nCommittee, Waluyo, said separately the voting should not have
\ntaken place as it violated procedures.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians who had voted included Indonesian shuttlers
\ntaking part in the Sudirman Cup and the subsequent World
\nBadminton Championship competitions in Glasgow.<\/p>\n
"We are studying the case. We suspect that the local election
\ncommittee has been careless and misinterpreted the technical
\ndirectives issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on overseas
\nvoting," Gaffar said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Walujo said the decision of the election committee in Glasgow
\nto organize the voting was groundless.<\/p>\n
"The general election, as stipulated in Presidential Decree
\nNo. 86\/1996, will be held on May 29, 1997," he told reporters.<\/p>\n
"Therefore, the badminton players and officials must recast
\ntheir votes on May 29," he said.<\/p>\n
He guaranteed that votes already made in Glasgow would not be
\nincluded in the ballot counting process after Indonesia holds the
\nelection Thursday.<\/p>\n
Strong reaction came from the United Development Party (PPP).
\nIts deputy chairman, Hamzah Haz, said the Glasgow election
\ncommittee had violated the principles of "direct, general, free
\nand confidential voting" as stipulated in the electoral laws.<\/p>\n
"The proceeding was unlawful," he said.<\/p>\n
The premature voting was openly held in one of the hotel
\nrooms, where viewers could see what the players and officials
\nwere doing. The election coordinator, though sitting with his
\nback to the voters, was also in the same room.<\/p>\n
Separately, Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) deputy
\nchairman Budi Hardjono called for firm sanctions against the
\nlocal committee, if they were proved in wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
"We should not tolerate such carelessness as it will trigger
\nsimilar (premature voting) at other Indonesian embassies," he
\ntold reporters. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/glasgow-early-voting-is-declared-void-1447893297",
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