Anticorruption body calls for probe into ballot box tender

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Anticorruption Commission (KPK) called on the police and the Attorney General's Office on Saturday to probe possible collusion in the controversial Rp 311 billion ballot box tender.

"We advocate legal action against any possible collusion and corruption involved in the ballot box tender," KPK member Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas said.

According to Erry, the KPK could not move on the ballot box case unless the police or the Attorney General's Office refused to look into the issue.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) declared PT Survindo Indah Prestasi the winner of a Rp 311 billion ballot box tender with a total score of 92, far higher than the minimum of 80.

In mid-December, however, KPU discovered that Survindo's box production was far below its promised target, prompting the commission to award 40 percent of the 2.19 million ballot box project to PT Tjakrindo Mas, which ranked second in the tender.

As of Dec. 31, Survindo had produced only 30,000 or 5 percent of its production target of 600,000 ballot boxes due to financial problems.

Last week, KPU finally cut the contract with Survindo and gave the remaining ballot box production to Tjakrindo and PT Almas, which ranked third in the tender.

Only 645,000 or 29 percent of a total of 2.19 million boxes have been produced so far, forcing KPU to postpone the distribution schedule to March 5 from its original date of Feb. 26. By March 5, all ballot boxes should have reached all regencies across the country.

Indonesia is to hold a legislative election on April 5, and presidential election on July 5 with the second round on Sept. 20 if there is no outright winner in the first round.

Some non-governmental organizations have questioned how Survindo, which turned out not to have the necessary financial backing to carry out the project, won the project.

They have also urged the KPU to investigate the commission's tender committee and Survindo for possible collusion.

KPU, however, has been reluctant to take legal action against the tender committee and Survindo.

Separately, Agustin Teras Narang from the House of Representatives Commission II said over the weekend that the House would question the KPU on Monday over its selection of Survindo for the project.

"With Survindo scoring very high in the tender, it should also have had the necessary finances. There is lack of prudence on the part of the KPU in the ballot box tender," he said.

But he refused to take further action against KPU until the commission explained the case to the House in Monday's hearing.

"We will do our job on Monday, let's see what will happen," he said.

Some activists have called on the KPU to make emergency plans to address possible shortage of ballot boxes on the election day.

Government Watch, for example, said KPU should consider announcing an emergency status on Feb. 1 due to its failure to prepare logistics such as ballot boxes for the upcoming elections.

The watchdog also called on the House to establish an inter- departmental team and independent public team to take over KPU's role in preparing the required equipment for the election.

All bona fide companies must then be asked to produce logistics with the government guaranteeing the funding, the NGO said.