Poll watchdogs 'lacking coordination'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
\nblamed on Tuesday a lack of coordination among three leading non-
\ngovernmental organizations (NGOs) acting as poll watchdogs for
\nits failure to disburse funds allocated for election monitoring.<\/p>\n
Poll monitoring advisers at UNDP, Erna Witoelar and Moeslim
\nAbdurrahman, said after a seminar on elections that funds could
\nonly be disbursed after the three NGOs settled their
\ndisagreements.<\/p>\n
With the elections just a few months away, the Independent
\nElection Monitoring Committee (KIPP), the University Network for
\nFree and Fair Elections (Unfrel) and the Rectors Forum have
\nraised doubts about their ability to monitor the polls due to a
\nlack of coordination and funds.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the secretary-general of KIPP, Mulyana W. Kusumah,
\nsaid the UNDP's failure to disburse the funds hampered
\npreparations for its poll monitoring activities. KIPP has asked
\nfor some Rp 13 billion.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, Erna criticized the three groups for
\ndrawing up overlapping programs.<\/p>\n
\"We want them to discuss the programs together and propose
\nconcise budgets to avoid wasting funds,\" Erna said, adding that
\nthe three NGOs were too stubborn to agree on a compromise.<\/p>\n
She said the poll monitoring bodies also would have to settle
\nquestions of budget accountability.<\/p>\n
A reliable source said the three poll watchdogs were still
\ndebating areas of operation and training programs for their
\nvolunteers.<\/p>\n
\"They are showing their egos. Each of them insists on training
\n600,000 volunteers to be deployed during the election. That is
\nnot effective,\" said the source.<\/p>\n
The source also said representatives from the three NGOs once
\nargued in front of ambassadors of donor countries.<\/p>\n
According to Erna, UNDP has received about US$30 million in
\ngrants from various donor countries, with more aid expected in
\nthe near future. She said she hoped the funds would be disbursed
\nnext week.<\/p>\n
Japan will also provide a $30.97 million grant through the UN
\nto help Indonesia hold the June election, a release from the
\nJapanese Embassy in Indonesia said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
All of the funds, pooled by UNDP, are to be channeled to the
\nGeneral Elections Commission and various poll monitoring
\nactivities, including voter education programs.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Moeslim pointed out several unsolved problems among
\npoll watchers, notably the method to count ballots.<\/p>\n
\"Unfrel wants to use the quick counting method because it is
\nmore reliable, but the Rectors Forum prefers parallel tabulation
\nor the sampling method.\"<\/p>\n
Moeslim suggested that the three poll watchdogs agree on a
\nsuitable method of vote counting, saying it would raise the
\nvalidity of their work.<\/p>\n
\"Of course the UNDP wants this thing to be solved, or they
\nwill be overshadowed by foreign poll monitoring groups.\"<\/p>\n
The idea of forming a joint administrative center is also
\nbeing debated among the local poll watchdogs, according to
\nMoeslim.<\/p>\n
Moeslim said local poll monitoring organizations needed to be
\nunited to make sure the election was held in a free and fair
\nmanner.<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, five poll monitoring
\norganizations under the South Sulawesi Poll Watchers Forum said
\nthey were ready to monitor 16,447 polling booths.<\/p>\n
\"We estimate at least 35,000 volunteers to be involved
\nhere... we are optimistic we will reach our goal,\" M. Darwis, a
\nmember of Unfrel's chapter in South Sulawesi, said. (27\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poll-watchdogs-lacking-coordination-1447893297",
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