Smoking ban becomes hot topic at Media Center<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A smoking ban is one feature attracting
\nattention at the Media Center set up for the coverage of the June
\n7 election at the Hotel Aryaduta, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Why is smoking banned here?\" asked Hasbunal Arief of Media
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Many journalists cannot work without cigarettes, especially
\nwhen the poll campaign begins and the pressure grows,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The General Elections Committee (KPU) spokesman Djohermansyah
\nDjohan, smiled and said there were many other places where
\nsmoking was allowed, such as the lobby.<\/p>\n
The ban, he said, was there for the simple reason that non-
\nsmokers would choke on smoke that would likely fill the ballroom
\nand six other separate rooms on the second floor.<\/p>\n
The media center, a joint operation of the committee with
\nforeign donors, cost US$2 million and was officiated on Tuesday
\nby KPU chairman Rudini and the United Nations Development Program
\n(UNDP) resident coordinator Ravi Rajan.<\/p>\n
Among foreign sponsors are the International Foundation for
\nElection Systems (IFES) and the Election Assistance Project
\nIndonesia of the Australian Electoral Commission.<\/p>\n
Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus and foreign envoys
\nattended the opening.<\/p>\n
Yunus, a three-star general, looked impressed following the
\ndemonstration of ballot counting procedures projected on a wide
\nscreen in the center.<\/p>\n
The press center, scheduled to operate until the third week of
\nJune, is the official source of all information concerning the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
It houses free Internet services and provides access to ballot
\ncounting results from the National Elections Committee (PPI).
\nResults from provinces are able to be predicted and viewed on
\nscreens in the media center at the most one hour after tallying
\nin respective provinces reaches PPI.<\/p>\n
Djohermansyah said delays would likely be because of
\ncommunication trouble and manual tallying at village and district
\nlevels.<\/p>\n
Final results at the media center are expected in about 12
\nhours after tallying begins at about 4 p.m. on June 7,
\nDjohermansyah said. Polling stations, which total some 250,000,
\nclose at 2 p.m. but the beginning of tallying in districts will
\ndepend on distance and transportation.<\/p>\n
Results can also be received at the media center through the
\n220 phone lines installed, for which 150 operators and 50
\nfacsimile machines will stand by.<\/p>\n
\"The press center will receive data from 4,000 districts. It
\nwill retrieve the data from the districts without interrupting
\nthe flow of official election returns through the regencies or
\nmunicipalities and provinces,\" the spokesman added.<\/p>\n
\"Sixty computers are available here to enter the data and
\ntabulate the results. We will have 400 crew members supporting
\nthe process here,\" Djohermansyah said.<\/p>\n
Dozens of free phone lines are provided for local calls.<\/p>\n
The media center will also announce official reports and
\ninformation from accredited national and international poll
\nwatchers.<\/p>\n
\"We will use two large screens to visualize the results of the
\nballoting from all across the country,\" Djohermansyah said.<\/p>\n
Special security protocols are used to prevent data being
\ntampered with. \"And the public can access and follow the
\nballoting process through www.kpu.go.id.<\/p>\n
\"People can ask results of the vote counting every hour
\ndirectly to the press center,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Public Relations officer of Hotel Aryaduta, Prissilia
\nPangemanan said the hotel also provides special rates for media
\ncrews, called the News Flash Package, which is valid until July
\n31.<\/p>\n
Rooms categorized as superior are Rp 300,000 plus 21 percent
\ntax. \"The Regency Club Superior Room is Rp 350,000 plus tax with
\nmore facilities such as a free Continental breakfast and fitness
\ncenter,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Aryaduta boasts as being the only hotel in Jakarta that has a
\ncommercialized helipad which will stand by for two months
\ncommencing May 15. It is, however, for emergency situations only.<\/p>\n
\"Three private air services are available, the Gatari Air
\nService, Tarsindo Air Service and Derazona Air Service,\" she
\nadded. The chopper can fly from the hotel to Halim Perdanakusuma
\nairport in East Jakarta and Soekarno-Hatta International airport
\nin West Jakarta within 10 minutes or less.<\/p>\n
\"It also serves air charters to Singapore and Bali,\" she
\nadded. (edt)<\/p>",
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