Ballot paper counting

Ballot paper counting

From Republika

During the New Order era, we often read reports about the
discovery of a number of ballot boxes containing marked ballot
papers (usually for the opposition party) in forested or swampy
areas in remote places of the country.

It was also open secret during the New Order era that ballot
boxes containing ballot papers could easily be changed with other
ballot boxes containing ballot papers marked in favor of a
particular party in the polls.

It was standard practice in those days to send ballot boxes
containing legally marked ballot papers and damaged ballot papers
to a regency. In this case, nobody could ensure that the content
of a ballot box taken to a regency contained exactly the legally
marked ballot papers from a polling station.

To prevent rigging in the upcoming polls, the ballot boxes
taken to a regency must contain only legally marked ballot papers
from a polling station. The number of these legally marked ballot
papers must be written down on the official report accompanying
these boxes. Damaged ballot papers must be destroyed in front of
legally appointed witnesses at a polling station and then an
official report is made about this damaged ballot paper
destruction.

SYOFYAN SORI

Jakarta