Observers tell KPU to speed up pace<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A United States-based poll watchdog has
\nsuggested the General Elections Commission (KPU) speed up the
\ntabulation and announcement of election results, warning that the
\npoll's credibility would otherwise be eroded.<\/p>\n
In a statement released on Wednesday, the National Democratic
\nInstitute and Carter Center International Election Observation
\nMission raised concerns over delays in the poll results and
\ninternal conflicts within the KPU.<\/p>\n
\"There is a danger that the extraordinary commitment to
\ndemocracy shown by the Indonesian people on June 7, and the
\nimpressive effort demonstrated by large numbers of members of the
\nelection administration, party agents and domestic observers both
\nbefore and after polling will be dissipated,\" the mission
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ballot counting has been running at a snail's pace. As of
\nWednesday, the KPU had counted less than 60 percent of an
\nestimated 117 million votes, according to its Website. The
\nofficial count conducted by the National Elections Committee
\n(PPI) is expected to finish on Thursday, nine days after the
\ntallying commenced.<\/p>\n
The PPI counted ballots in Bengkulu and Southeast Sulawesi on
\nWednesday, but failed to wrap up the national vote count after an
\naircraft for the North Sulawesi Provincial Elections Committee
\ndelegation was grounded due to engine failure.<\/p>\n
PPI deputy chairman Hasballah M. Saad said the final ballot
\ncount would start at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The schedule was
\ndependent on the 5 p.m. flight arrival of the North Sulawesi
\nelection officials.<\/p>\n
Hasballah reiterated that the official poll results would be
\nannounced on July 21. The KPU had earlier set a July 8 deadline
\nfor the announcement of the national tally.<\/p>\n
The vote count was delayed on Wednesday for half an hour after
\nthe Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Elections Committee submitted
\nan incomplete official poll report, signed by only six of the 43
\ncommittee members.<\/p>\n
Election supervisory committee deputy chairman Mulyana Kusumah
\nruled that counting must continue because the provincial poll
\nbody's delegation did not question the validity of the tabulated
\npoll results.<\/p>\n
The U.S. election monitoring mission, which sent a team led by
\nformer U.S. President Jimmy Carter, said a balance must be struck
\nbetween the need for rapid tabulations and the time necessary to
\nproduce credible results.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, the delays of the past several weeks do not
\nalways appear to have been motivated by a desire to increase the
\ntransparency and legitimacy of the process, but sometimes by a
\ndissatisfaction with the will of the Indonesian people as
\nexpressed through the ballot box,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
The mission warned the KPU against political bargaining
\nassessment and approval of the poll results, in the wake of moves
\nby small parties facing political oblivion.<\/p>\n
A group of parties have protested a government regulation
\nwhich allows the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwas) to
\nvalidate the poll results, despite being rejected by the majority
\nof KPU representatives. The government announced on Wednesday
\nthat the ruling would stand.<\/p>\n
Despite the problems faced by the KPU, the mission found the
\ndelays did not appear to have been caused by, nor created the
\nopportunity for, significant manipulation of the election
\nresults.<\/p>\n
It said there were some examples of localized manipulation of
\nthe counting and tabulation, but, significantly, there was no
\nevidence to support allegations of widespread or significant
\nfraud or tampering designed to benefit any particular party or
\nparties.<\/p>\n
The mission also uncovered the presence of \"ghost\" polling
\nplaces, which had not existed, but were added to the tabulation.<\/p>\n
In addition, the mission exposed discrepancies in Maluku,
\nwhere the total number of votes cast was 9 percent greater than
\nthe number of registered voters.<\/p>\n
\"If in fact evidence is found ... then the KPU and Panwas must
\nact firmly to address these problems through prosecution of the
\nperpetrators and through possible repolling,\" it said.<\/p>\n
Separately, European Union observers, who also monitored the
\nelections, said the polls were fair and transparent, despite the
\nslow vote count.<\/p>\n
\"I am still a little concerned at the slowness, but I believe
\npersonally that the count will be finished in a very short space
\nof time now,\" chief EU observer John Morgan told a news
\nconference winding up the EU operation.<\/p>\n
The EU mission attributed the bickering in the KPU to its lack
\nof independence. It said KPU members ideally comprised
\nnonpartisan persons, whom the public recognized for their
\ncredibility and integrity.<\/p>\n
In regard to the recruitment of provincial representatives at
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) by provincial
\nlegislatures, the U.S. mission suggested representatives be drawn
\nfrom across the spectrum within the province, rather than chosen
\nentirely by the dominant local parties.<\/p>\n
\"It might be desirable for all provincial legislatures to
\nconduct their elections on the same day in order to prevent a
\n\"snowball effect\" in the overall makeup of the provincial
\nrepresentation on the MPR,\" said the mission.(imn\/amd)<\/p>",
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