Election exodus to West, Central Java starts

JAKARTA (JP): Vendors, housemaids and other Jakartans flocked to intercity bus terminals and train stations during the weekend to reach home in time for the May 29 election.

Terminals and stations were not as full as they were for the Lebaran exodus, but passengers had markedly increased during the past few days.

Although people who do not have Jakarta identification cards are entitled to vote here, passengers said they preferred voting in their hometowns. A few thought they had to vote in hometowns where their identification cards had been issued.

The Pulogadung terminal in East Jakarta recorded 939 buses departed Saturday compared to the daily average of 800.

A terminal official said main destinations were towns in Java.

"Travelers may peak today or tomorrow," he said.

Travelers crammed into buses leaving to towns in Java such as Purworejo, Purwokerto, Tegal and Cirebon. Many traveled with family or friends. A terminal official said Purworejo buses were carrying up to 100 passengers while their normal capacity was 60.

Many travelers, mostly low-income people, seemed fearful of questions regarding the election.

"Manto," a vendor selling martabak -- a thick egg dish with spices and ground meat or cheese -- said he could not obtain a registration card for voting here because he did not have a Jakarta identification card.

He said he would try to vote in his hometown in Tegal because he had a Tegal identification card. He did not know registration closed May 20 last year.

Another passenger said he was returning because a relative had listed his name as a voter in his hometown.

Atmo, a street vendor, said he was heading for Surakarta in Central Java for both the election and a family reunion.

"I will be there for about two weeks and then I will look for a better job here," Atmo said.

At the Lebak Bulus terminal in South Jakarta bus companies plying routes between Jakarta and Java each provided at least two more buses daily up until election day, a company representative said.

Sri Rejeki, a maid heading for Magelang, Central Java, said, "I don't want the village head to think I didn't return to vote."

Sukawad, a construction worker in Cilandak, South Jakarta, said he was given a week's leave to vote in his village in Purwokerto, Central Java.

Sukawad said he felt he had to vote in his village where his identity card had been issued, and was looking forward to a family reunion.

Sukamto, a supervisor of a wielding company, said he left his job for a week without permission.

"Anyway, I asked my friends to take over my job while I'm not here," he said. (10/03)