2.65 million Jakarta voters register for general election
2.65 million Jakarta voters register for general election
JAKARTA (JP): The city has recorded 2.65 million people
registrants, or about 46 percent of total eligible voters, as of
Monday afternoon, chairman of the Jakarta Provincial Elections
Committee (PPD I) Djafar Badjeber said.
The number of registered voters for the June 7 general
election was expected to increase by midnight on Monday, the
final day of the eight-day voluntary registration period.
Djafar said he was satisfied with Monday afternoon's figure of
2,659,467 registrants.
"It's very good to have more than two million registrants
within a week," he told The Jakarta Post.
"I think the figure already surpasses the number of
registrants within the same period during the 1997 polls."
Based on data released by PPD I in the afternoon, East Jakarta
had recorded 667,350 registrants or 43 percent of total eligible
voters in the area; West Jakarta 468,020 or 38 percent; South
Jakarta 731,769 or 51.83 percent; North Jakarta 442,509 or 49
percent and Central Jakarta 349,819 or 41 percent.
From official estimates of 9.7 million city residents, 5.8
million of them are eligible voters. In the 1997 elections,
Jakarta had 7,453,416 voters.
Djafar expressed optimism that the number of registrants in
the capital would grow to more than 90 percent before the
registration period finished on May 4.
He said that beginning on Tuesday, local registration
officials, (Gastarlih), would visit eligible voters. The targeted
group would not only include invalids, ailing and elderly
citizens and prisoners but also other residents who have yet to
register.
According to the General Elections Commission (KPU), the
registration period began on April 5 through to April 12. From
April 13 to April 18, the Gastarlih will visit individuals in
remote areas and those unable to register themselves.
Eligible citizens who have not yet registered will be required
to register at appointed booths from April 30 to May 4.
No more busy
On Monday, registration booths around the capital were not as
busy as on previous days.
In Pegangsaan subdistrict, Central Jakarta, for example, three
Gastarlih were the sole occupiers of the booth.
A registration post in Glodok subdistrict, West Jakarta, had
been closed since Sunday.
Local resident A Min said the voluntary registration period
had ended.
"Gastarlih are now counting the registrants before submitting
results to the subdistrict office," he said.
According to A Min, Gastarlih would begin making door-to-door
visits to residents starting from Tuesday.
However, officials from several subdistricts were worried
about a possible decline of registered voters for the polls.
Petojo Selatan subdistrict in Central Jakarta, for example,
had recorded 4,898 eligible voters as of Monday afternoon, less
than half the figure recorded in previous polls.
"In the 1997 polls, there were a total of 11,000 eligible
voters registered on the final registration day in this
subdistrict," said Gastarlih Suroso.
Similar voting patterns disturbed officials in Karang Anyar
subdistrict, also Central Jakarta.
Residents acknowledged a disinclination to vote for a variety
of reasons, including the great number of contesting parties.
Agus Supriyono, a security staff member at Hero supermarket in
Tomang, West Jakarta, said: "I'm confused as there are so many
parties and my prosperity will not be affected if I vote for any
of them".
In Tangerang, residents in many areas remained in a state of
confusion regarding the registration process. They said they had
not been informed of the location of registration points and that
local neighborhood heads had yet to receive registration forms.
"We've been asking for the registration forms since last week.
Today, we're going to the Tangerang Regional Elections Committee
to directly pick up the forms in order to be able to serve
residents beginning this evening," said Gastarlih Opar of Kelapa
Dua, Curug.
Another Gastarlih said Tangerang lacked sufficient
registration forms.
"Many subdistricts are only given 3,000 forms each, whereas
most of the area is resided in by between 8,000 to 11,000
eligible voters," he said.
There was no confirmation of a shortfall in registration forms
from the local poll committee.
In Bogor, south of here, locals commenced their first
registration day on Monday, after being delayed due to lack of
preparation, particularly the supply of forms.
From early in the morning, hundreds of people flocked to
registration booths, after being informed about the start from
announcements made through mosques and via neighborhood chiefs,
who made door-to-door visits to encourage people to register for
the elections.
The people's enthusiasm, however, led to long queues of voters
to-be at most registration booths.
Many of the hopeful registrants, impatient with the long
queues, gave up waiting and returned to their homes.
"No way, there were too many people lining up. It's better to
go back home first and come back again later," housewife Lilis
from Sukadamai said.
According to deputy chief of Bogor's Regional Elections
Committee, Irfan Maulidi, the area had been registering voters at
booths from Sunday.
He, however acknowledged the committee had not yet received
any operating funds from the KPU.
Irfan said that while awaiting the release of funds from the
organizing electoral body, the committee financed its operations
from a loan of Rp 50 million secured from local administrative
authorities.
"As of today, we have yet to receive any poll money, while our
balance from the fund rests at only Rp 15 million," he said.
Many places in Bogor regency had financed the registration
process independently of the KPU body.
"Local authorities lend us a place for the registration booth.
But for things, such as pens, papers and petrol, we collected
money on our own," said Lalu Suryade, secretary of Bogor
Regency's Elections Committee. (ind/bsr/01/24)