Candidates reported for vote-buying

AMBON, Maluku: Two residents of Batumeja subdistrict have reported four legislative candidates from the Golkar Party to Ambon Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) for engaging in vote-buying, a Panwaslu official disclosed on Friday.

Yantje Setyabudi, head of Ambon Panwaslu, said the two residents told Panwaslu officials that the four candidates -- who he identified only as RL, DO, YH and HL -- used various tricks to woo people to vote for Golkar.

YH was reported for allegedly giving away Rp 7 million to local residents, DO allegedly gave away Rp 2 million, RL handed over cement worth Rp 3 million and HL promised to give money to residents.

The two residents said they were prepared to testify against the four if the Ambon General Elections Commission (KPU) or police took the case to court.

"Panwaslu will investigate the matter and hand the results over to the KPU," he said. -- JP