Ballot boxes go missing

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: The provincial committee and the official supervisory election committee here recorded that 17 ballot boxes were missing in Woja district, Dompu regency, since June 7. Twelve were said to have been hidden by polling place officials. They said they hid the boxes because their fees were cut from Rp 10,000 each to Rp 5,000.

Eleven of the boxes have been found and are now guarded by police at the regional committee office. The regency committee said they had not cut the fees but had paid the fee in two phases and had failed to notify the polling place committee.

Provincial committee officials also denied allegations by Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung that polling committee officials in several areas had refused to sign reports because they were afraid other parties would lose.

"They only refused to sign because of violations involved," a provincial committee official, Putra Sari, said. (49)