Commission amends decree to validate double-punctures

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Yogyakarta/Denpasar

The General Elections Commission (KPU) prompted on Monday an amendment to its decree on valid votes, declaring that a puncture on the cover of a ballot paper was acceptable.

The move sparked confusion and debate, as the decree was signed and circulated throughout the country only moments after a great number of polling stations had closed.

The previous KPU decree stipulated that only punctures made on the candidates' pictures would be valid.

KPU member Anas Urbaningrum said on Monday the new decree was issued after the commission received abundant reports from around the country that a large number of voters had pierced their ballots without unfolding the paper, thus piercing through their candidates' pictures to the cover underneath.

He said the decision was made following concerns from polling station monitors, who reported that a large number of votes were declared invalid by election supervisory officials although only a single candidate had been marked on the ballot.

Anas said the commission had faxed all Regional General Elections Commissions (KPUDs) and ordered a recount.

"We asked all polling stations that had begun or completed the vote-count to start all over with the tallying. And those that had not yet started counting must abide by our new instructions. A puncture on the ballot cover is fine and valid as long as it does not mark the pictures of other candidates," he said.

If the KPUDs received the message late, Anas said a recount could be conducted on Tuesday in the presence of witnesses.

He denied the new decree reflected a failure in voter education, saying many voters were reluctant to unfold the papers fully before marking them.

Officials at many polling stations around the country were seen scrambling over whether ballots with double punctures could be rendered valid.

In Yogyakarta, the wife of National Mandate Party (PAN) candidate Amien Rais, Sri Kusnasriyati, argued with KPUD members over the validity of a ballot with two punctures.

In Jakarta, organizers of a polling station in Matraman, East Jakarta, refused to conduct a recount, unaware of the latest instruction from the KPU.

The same confusion ensued at polling stations in the Widya Chandra housing complex, South Jakarta, where many high-ranking officials had cast their votes. Monitors and observers argued with KPUD members over the validity of ballots with two holes.

At the polling station of Kerobokan Penitentiary in Denpasar, Bali, 175 of 378 ballots had been declared invalid due to double punctures.

Meanwhile, Denpasar KPUD head Ray Misno said almost all polling stations across the municipality had conducted a recount.

Following the new ruling, the official General Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) urged all local polling committees across the country to disseminate the new decree.

"Panwaslu at all levels must recommend poll organizers to hold a recount if there is a glaring discrepancy between valid and invalid votes," Panwaslu chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said in a statement.