Copiers used in rush to meet election day
Copiers used in rush to meet election day
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang, Central Java
Several regencies continued to report the lack of election
materials on Wednesday while the government nears the Friday
deadline to decide whether to issue a decree postponing the
election altogether or only in certain areas.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra
confirmed on Wednesday that the government was preparing a draft
regulation to amend Article 119 of the Election Law on conditions
for delayed elections in particular areas.
The Election Law only states the election may delayed only in
the case of riots, security disturbances or natural disasters.
Meanwhile, in Semarang, Central Java, election officials
grudgingly allowed the photocopying of hundreds of thousands of
vote counting forms in a desperate bid to hold an election as
scheduled on April 5.
Dozens of regencies also requested additional ballot papers
from the General Elections Commission (KPU) to anticipate
unforeseen circumstances on election day -- such as the arrival
of unregistered voters who insisted on voting.
For the first time, Indonesians will directly elect central
and local legislature members, as well as members of the Regional
Representative Council.
KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said some 50 of its
regental/municipal branch offices had demanded the provision of
three million additional ballot papers as a contingency.
Among those regencies demanding additional ballot papers are:
Sukabumi, Bogor, West Java; Pamekasan, East Java; South Sorong,
Sorong and Jayapura, all in Papua.
Mulyana said the Jayapura KPU had even threatened to photocopy
the original ballot papers and to stamp them with an official
seal if the KPU did not provide additional ballots.
He cited the officers' fears that if unregistered voters were
not allowed to vote, riots might erupt at polling stations.
"So far, our answer to the demand is that the existing 10
percent of reserve ballot papers may be adequate," he said.
Meanwhile, ad interim security minister Hari Sabarno said his
office was monitoring the ballot paper distribution every six
hours to ensure the election would be held simultaneously.
He stressed that the rate of distribution had increased every
hour based on monitoring reports from Subdistrict Polling
Committees (PPS) across the country.
"Three days before the election, we will hold another meeting
and we hope distribution will be completed by then," he said.
Regencies that had not received all required logistics
included two in East Kalimantan. If necessary, the provincial KPU
"will propose to the (central) KPU to delay the election in the
two regencies," said East Kalimantan KPU member Masykur Melle.
The province's Malinau regency had not received all of its
15,900 ballot paper quota for the election of House of
Representatives and provincial legislature members. Kutai
Kertanegara had yet to receive 3,000 ballots for the provincial
legislative election and 6,000 ballots for the regental/municipal
legislative election.
In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), ballot paper distribution for the
legislative election in six regencies averaged just 60 percent.
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang, Central Java
Several regencies continued to report the lack of election
materials on Wednesday while the government nears the Friday
deadline to decide whether to issue a decree postponing the
election altogether or only in certain areas.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra
confirmed on Wednesday that the government was preparing a draft
regulation to amend Article 119 of the Election Law on conditions
for delayed elections in particular areas.
The Election Law only states the election may delayed only in
the case of riots, security disturbances or natural disasters.
Meanwhile, in Semarang, Central Java, election officials
grudgingly allowed the photocopying of hundreds of thousands of
vote counting forms in a desperate bid to hold an election as
scheduled on April 5.
Dozens of regencies also requested additional ballot papers
from the General Elections Commission (KPU) to anticipate
unforeseen circumstances on election day -- such as the arrival
of unregistered voters who insisted on voting.
For the first time, Indonesians will directly elect central
and local legislature members, as well as members of the Regional
Representative Council.
KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said some 50 of its
regental/municipal branch offices had demanded the provision of
three million additional ballot papers as a contingency.
Among those regencies demanding additional ballot papers are:
Sukabumi, Bogor, West Java; Pamekasan, East Java; South Sorong,
Sorong and Jayapura, all in Papua.
Mulyana said the Jayapura KPU had even threatened to photocopy
the original ballot papers and to stamp them with an official
seal if the KPU did not provide additional ballots.
He cited the officers' fears that if unregistered voters were
not allowed to vote, riots might erupt at polling stations.
"So far, our answer to the demand is that the existing 10
percent of reserve ballot papers may be adequate," he said.
Meanwhile, ad interim security minister Hari Sabarno said his
office was monitoring the ballot paper distribution every six
hours to ensure the election would be held simultaneously.
He stressed that the rate of distribution had increased every
hour based on monitoring reports from Subdistrict Polling
Committees (PPS) across the country.
"Three days before the election, we will hold another meeting
and we hope distribution will be completed by then," he said.
Regencies that had not received all required logistics
included two in East Kalimantan. If necessary, the provincial KPU
"will propose to the (central) KPU to delay the election in the
two regencies," said East Kalimantan KPU member Masykur Melle.
The province's Malinau regency had not received all of its
15,900 ballot paper quota for the election of House of
Representatives and provincial legislature members. Kutai
Kertanegara had yet to receive 3,000 ballots for the provincial
legislative election and 6,000 ballots for the regental/municipal
legislative election.
In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), ballot paper distribution for the
legislative election in six regencies averaged just 60 percent.