Ballot papers 'held hostage'

PAREPARE, South Sulawesi: Regional poll committee officials in Parepare have not completed their report on results because ballot papers in Soreang district are being held by disgruntled workers, Antara reported Wednesday.

The news agency reported the holding of about 20,000 ballot papers from 63 polling stations in the district's seven subdistricts was because promised honorariums were not paid by the committee treasurer.

Payment was Rp 50,000 each for district committee officials, an increase from the initially announced sum of Rp 20,000 per person.

Provisional results in the regency showed Golkar was winning with 36,415 votes, followed by the United Development Party (PPP) with 3,922 votes.