Poll watchdog plans to train more volunteers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Independent Election Monitoring Committee
\nplans to train more volunteers to help monitor the general
\nelection next May.<\/p>\n
Paskah Irianto, head of the committee's operational division,
\nsaid that 35 people from across the country have met to design a
\ntraining program.<\/p>\n
They will train volunteers who will provide basic skills for
\ncommittee activists in the provinces, Paskah said.<\/p>\n
He said the committee has volunteers in 17 provinces. The
\nother 10 provinces are expected to have volunteers by the
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The 10 provinces without volunteers are West Kalimantan,
\nCentral Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Southwest
\nSulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Irian
\nJaya and East Timor.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Goenawan Mohamad has said that each
\nprovincial poll watchdog branch is an independent unit. There is
\nno chain of command.<\/p>\n
The volunteers are expected to finance their own activities,
\nalthough the committee has opened a bank account with Bank
\nInternational Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Paskah said the poll watchdog would focus on real issues such
\nas access to vote counting stations.<\/p>\n
The poll watchdog's target is to improve people's political
\nawareness so that every citizen has the right to monitor the
\ngeneral election, Paskah said.<\/p>\n
The committee is the first independent poll watchdog in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Paskah, the most critical stage of the general
\nelection that needs monitoring is the counting of ballots and the
\nsigning over of ballot boxes which are transported to a higher
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
He said that in the past many witnesses from the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nwere unable monitor the election process because of intimidation.<\/p>\n
\"We will check whether the witnesses sign the documents
\nwithout pressure,\" Paskah said.<\/p>\n
There will be about 280,000 polling booths throughout the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Paskah said that since the committee does not have enough
\nvolunteers, it has to determine which areas to monitor.<\/p>\n
The PPP, PDI and Golkar will contest 425 seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives next year. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poll-watchdog-plans-to-train-more-volunteers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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