Police guard KPUD office after attack<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
Police stood guard at the Tanjung Balai Regional General
\nElections Commission (KPUD) office on Wednesday after a mob
\nattacked the building in protest over alleged electoral
\nviolations.<\/p>\n
The police said two people were arrested as suspects in the
\nincident on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
There were no fatalities and no one was injured when thousands
\nof protesters, from several political parties, stormed the KPUD,
\nstoning the building.<\/p>\n
The attack left the office's windows shattered and the sign
\noutside the building was torn down.<\/p>\n
Election officials panicked and fled the building.<\/p>\n
Thousands of documents also reportedly disappeared after the
\nattack.<\/p>\n
The mob was angered by allegations that local KPUD members
\nwere involved in election fraud during the polling day on Monday.<\/p>\n
They demanded that elections in at least four polling stations
\nin the neighborhoods of Bunga Tanjung and Pahang be rerun to
\nensure fair and free voting.<\/p>\n
The protesters marched to the KPUD office on Jl. Sudirman in
\nTanjung Balai, North Sumatra, but were unable to meet any
\nofficials there. The frustrated protesters later started to
\nvandalize the building, forcing workers there to flee.<\/p>\n
Herna Vaiva, a protest coordinator who also chairs Tanjung
\nBali chapter of the New Indonesia Alliance Party (PPIB), said
\ndemonstrators were disappointed by the KPUD's bias in response to
\nelection violations.<\/p>\n
The KPUD appeared to turn a blind eye to alleged infractions
\nby a certain political party ahead of the election day, he added.<\/p>\n
\"There are many irregularities found, such as distributing
\nfood a few days ahead of the election and up to minutes before
\nvoting began.<\/p>\n
\"A number of witnesses and voters have also admitted to have
\nbeen given large amounts of money by a major party. All this has
\nbeen reported to the KPUD, but there was no response,\" Herna
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that since the beginning the selection of local KPUD
\nmembers was tainted by political interests in favor of certain
\nparties, which had reportedly influenced their nominations.<\/p>\n
This case had also been reported to the central General
\nElections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta, he added.<\/p>\n
Tanjung Balai's KPUD member Marolop Simangunsong admitted that
\nhis office had some shortcomings but denied that it had performed
\npoorly in organizing the legislative election.<\/p>\n
He slammed the attack by party supporters on his office,
\nsaying it was against the law and should be processed according
\nto the law.<\/p>\n
If people found electoral violations, their parties should
\nhave reported them to the local General Elections Supervisory
\nCommittee (Panwaslu), instead of reacting violently, he said.<\/p>\n
Marolop denied that KPUD members were elected following
\nsupport from a major party. \"We are neutral and impartial. We
\ndon't want to side with any particular party.\"<\/p>\n
Tanjung Balai Police chief Adj. Comr. Chairul Anwar said his
\noffice was investigating the incident and vowed to take firm
\naction against the attackers.<\/p>\n
He said two people were arrested and were being questioned in
\nconnection with the attack.<\/p>\n
\"Two suspects are being detained for questioning,\" said Anwar,
\nwho was among dozens of police personnel guarding the KPUD
\nbuilding along with Teluknibung Police chief Adj. Comr. Samsul
\nBahri.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-guard-kpud-office-after-attack-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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