Govt upbeat polls to take place on time<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government gave assurances on Sunday that the legislative
\nelection would be held according to schedule on April 5 as all
\npreparations, including the distribution of ballot papers, could
\nbe completed within the next two days.<\/p>\n
"We are optimistic the polls can take place on schedule as
\neverything will be in place in the next one to two days," interim
\nCoordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs ad
\ninterim Hari Sabarno told reporters.<\/p>\n
The minister also dismissed speculation that the government
\nwas drafting a regulation in lieu of a law to anticipate a
\npossible delay in the election.<\/p>\n
"We have never thought about a regulation. We are just
\nthinking about how to ensure the election takes place on
\nschedule," he said.<\/p>\n
The Elections Supervisory Committee sent a letter earlier on
\nSunday to President Megawati Soekarnoputri, calling on her
\ngovernment to issue a regulation to anticipate a delay in the
\nelections in several areas due to lack of election necessities.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said that the request
\nwas made as election supplies had not reached regencies in 10
\nprovinces as of Sunday.<\/p>\n
"We do want to make the April 5 election a success, but
\nbecause a number of areas have not received the necessary
\nsupplies, it would be better for the government to issue a ruling
\nto anticipate election delays in several areas," he said.<\/p>\n
The committee said the KPU had breached Law No. 12\/2003 on
\nelections for failing to provide ballot papers and other polling
\nmaterials 10 days before the April 5 election.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, Minister of Justice and Human Rights
\nYusril Ihza Mahendra, who also chairs the Crescent Star Party,
\nsaid he was a preparing a regulation to anticipate the
\npostponement of the elections in some areas.<\/p>\n
Hari expressed his guarded optimism at National Police
\nHeadquarters after a conversation via a video linkup with local
\ngovernment officials from 31 provinces. West Irian Jaya province
\nwas not represented as the polls there are being administered by
\nthe Papua local elections commission.<\/p>\n
Accompanying Hari were National Police chief Gen. Da'i
\nBachtiar and General Elections Commission (KPU) member Chusnul
\nMar'iyah.<\/p>\n
Hari said that all ballot papers for the election of House of
\nRepresentatives members had reached all 585,000 polling stations
\nacross the country while the delivery of ballot papers for the
\nelection of regional legislatures and Regional Representatives
\nCouncil (DPD) members would be completed in the near future.<\/p>\n
Several areas in Jambi and West Sumatra have not received the
\npapers as they are being transported overland, instead of by air
\nas instructed earlier.<\/p>\n
Some areas in North Maluku and Papua will receive their ballot
\nboxes and ink a bit late, but it will not disrupt the election
\npreparations, Hari added.<\/p>\n
"We will hold a final meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday to check
\nthe final preparations. We are continuing to monitor the
\ndistribution," said Hari, who is also the minister of home
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
Despite Hari's optimism, election delays remain a threat in
\nsome regencies.<\/p>\n
About 700,000 voters in 33 remote districts of Lampung could
\nlose their right to vote as ballot papers have not reached the
\nareas.<\/p>\n
"We are facing difficulties in distributing the papers as it's
\nimpossible to reach the areas on schedule using land
\ntransportation," Lampung local elections commission member Edwin
\nHanibal said.<\/p>\n
Besides, the commission recorded 53,896 ballot papers which
\nwere either stated incorrectly the names of legislative
\ncandidates, or left them out altogether.<\/p>\n
In Palu, local elections commission head Zainuddin Bolong said
\nthat voters in nine districts in Central Sulawesi could miss the
\nelection due to logistical problem.<\/p>\n
"The police will help distribute polling materials by
\nhelicopter but there are no helipads in the remote districts,"
\nBolong said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-upbeat-polls-to-take-place-on-time-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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