Balloting materials yet to reach Medan

MEDAN: Many polling places are yet to receive complete packages of balloting sheets, vote counting forms and indelible ink, a local official said Saturday.

Ahmad Hidayat Nasution, chief of North Sumatra sociopolitical affairs, said that districts yet to receive the complete packages were Medan, Deli Serdang, Tebing Tinggi, Toba Samosir, Mandailing Natal, Asahan, Labuhan Batu and Central Tapanuli.

"Many local government officials have complained about the problem but we cannot do anything because the materials were sent directly from Jakarta," Nasution said.

He said election officials in Medan could not check on whether Jakarta had sent the materials and if it had, where they might be. (O.K. Mirza Syah)