Directive for away voting being prepared

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Provincial Elections Committee (PPD I) is currently preparing a directive on the use of registration forms for people unable to cast a ballot at their place of registration for the June 7 poll to avoid ballot rigging, an official said on Friday.

The directive was badly needed to avoid multiple ballot casting as had happened in previous elections, PPD I chairman Djafar Badjeber said.

"We should minimize the chances for those intending to rig the election. That's why tough requirements are needed," he said.

Djafar said that the requirements could be in the form of requiring people who cast their ballot away from their places of registration to show a recommendation letter from their subdistrict heads, or official letters from companies where they could not leave their job.

Eligible voters will be obliged to show their registration forms as well when they cast their ballot, he said.

Based on a newly endorsed law on the general election, voters should report to the local poll committee if they cannot cast a ballot at their place of registration.

Djafar said that voters who meet the above requirement included those who have moved to other areas, worked at certain places which could not be left unattended, like hospital nurses, doctors or oil-drilling workers and others affected by a natural disaster or being detained.

Asked to comment on the matter, the University Network for Free and Fair Elections' coordinator, Agung Supriyo, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that he agreed with PPD I's plan to implement the tough requirement.

"Such a requirement is needed and will help members of poll watchdog organizations control the possibility of multiple ballot casting," he said.

Djafar also said that based on a General Elections Commission ruling, eligible voters have been allowed to register themselves for the poll from April 18 to May 4.

Previously, the registration period was divided into three parts: April 5 to April 12 was for voluntary registration; April 13 to April 18 was for registration officials to visit voters who were unable to register themselves and April 30 to May 4 is an extension for others who had not registered yet. (ind)