Distribution deadline for ballet papers moved again

Distribution deadline for ballet papers moved again

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The distribution deadline for the 660 million ballot papers needed for the legislative election has been set back again, 13 days -- from March 15 to March 28 -- the General Elections Commission (KPU) said on Wednesday.

Despite the delay, the KPU assured the public the papers would be delivered on time for the April 5 polling day.

KPU head of ballot paper printing Mulyana W. Kusumah said the late distribution was due to delays printing the papers for the Regental/Municipal Legislative Council (DPRD II) member candidates.

According to the new schedule, the printing of all papers would end on March 21 but, at that time, their distribution would reach only 65 percent of voting stations nationwide.

The printing of more than 300 million papers for the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council candidates was underway. The same was true for the Provincial Legislative Council papers, Mulyana said.

Meanwhile, the West Sumatra city of Padang revealed it had not yet received all the ballot boxes it was allotted.

Padang KPUD official Endang Mulyani said the city still needed 1,114 ballot boxes. It had only received 7,354 from a total of 8,468.

If the ballot boxes didn't reach the city by March 15, the Padang KPUD would start making them from wood, Endang said.

He said the KPUD would make the boxes using its provincial budget.

In Cirebon, the KPUD said it needed more funds to build polling stations and other support facilities.

Of the total Rp 2.2 billion funds available in the Cirebon KPUD, not one cent was allocated to building polling stations, an official, Sutikno, said.

The KPUD was only responsible for providing logistical support and materials, including manpower, ballot boxes, ballot papers, and polling booths, he said.

"We expect local government to build depots for the polling stations," he said.