Voter registration begins at Mega's house<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Voter registration for the 2004 general election and the national
\ncensus kicked off on Tuesday amid concerns over the limited time
\nthe National Elections Commission (KPU) has to prepare for the
\nevent, which is held once every five years.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin, Minister of Home Affairs
\nHari Sabarno and Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) chairman
\nSoedarto Soerbakti arrived at President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\nresidence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta on Tuesday morning
\nto register the members of the first family.<\/p>\n
Before registration got under way, first man Taufik Kiemas
\nasked if their Kebagusan, South Jakarta, identification cards
\nwould be acceptable, to which the minister said yes.<\/p>\n
Taufik also told registration officials that he was the head
\nof the family and "not Madam President". Megawati, who apparently
\ndid not expect Taufik's remark, only smiled.<\/p>\n
Registered with Taufik and Megawati was their daughter Puan
\nMaharani and her husband.<\/p>\n
Also on Tuesday morning, registration officials stopped by
\nHamzah Haz's residence on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, to
\nregister the Vice President and the members of his family.<\/p>\n
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais, House
\nof Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and Jakarta Governor
\nSutiyoso were also registered on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Similar activities also took place across the country on
\nTuesday, the first day of a 30-day registration period for the
\n2004 election, when Indonesia will hold its first ever direct
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
In the provinces, the first day of registration was marked by
\nthe registration of the governors.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazaruddin said on Tuesday that at least 130
\nmillion people out of the country's population of 215 million
\nwere eligible to vote in the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
KPU has enlisted the services of BPS as the results of the
\nregistration will be used not only for election purposes but also
\nfor producing a single population database to be used for all
\nkinds of demographic needs.<\/p>\n
Nazaruddin said security personnel and independence fighters
\nin both Aceh and Papua would also be registered as they were
\nlegitimate citizens who had the right to cast their vote in the
\n2004 elections.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Soetarto said
\nearlier that TNI personnel would not exercise their right to vote
\nin the 2004 elections to avoid friction among security personnel
\nover their political leanings.<\/p>\n
However, Nazaruddin said all citizens, including TNI members,
\nwould be registered regardless of whether they exercise their
\nright to vote or not.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti expressed doubt
\non Tuesday that all eligible voters would be registered by April
\n30, due to several challenges.<\/p>\n
"We hope to finish the registration by the end of April, but
\nthat seems impossible," Ramlan told the official Antara news
\nagency.<\/p>\n
He said registration officials would have a hard time
\nregistering eligible voters living in slums or under bridges and
\noverpasses. He also said it would be difficult registering voters
\nwho live in condominiums and apartments as well as in conflict-
\ntorn areas.<\/p>\n
"Registering those living in condominiums or under bridges is
\nequally challenging as they are difficult to find," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Agus Suherman, chief of the voter registration
\nprocess at the BPS, told the The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that
\nhis office would meet the deadline for the nationwide census and
\nvoter registration.<\/p>\n
"We have conducted a similar activity in the past, like the
\nnationwide census in 2000, where we also did it in 30 days. We
\nare confident that the census and voter registration process for
\nthe upcoming elections will be finished before April 30," Agus
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He explained that the BPS had deployed more than 230,000 field
\nworkers nationwide for the census and voter registration.<\/p>\n
"Each field worker is responsible for registering eight to 10
\nhouseholds, comprising about 40 to 60 people," he said.<\/p>\n
Eligible voters who miss the April 1 to April 30 registration
\nperiod can still register from mid-October until November 2003.<\/p>\n
Ramlan said the complete list of voters would be ready by
\nNovember 2003, but would not be announced until December.<\/p>\n
To register, residents are required to show a family identity
\ncard, a birth certificate, a marriage certificate or any other
\ndocument that can help prove their identity.<\/p>\n
The KPU has set April 5, 2004 as the date for the legislative
\nelection, while the two-phase direct presidential election is
\nscheduled to run between June and August 2004.<\/p>\n
The tight schedule has raised concerns over KPU's ability to
\norganize a fair election in 2004.<\/p>",
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