Election materials have reach regencies

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ten days before the election day, a number provincial General Elections Commission (KPUD) reported on Friday that despite many problems, they had begun distributing ballot papers and other election materials to regental KPUDs.

In regions where the material has reached the regency KPUDs, the commission simultaneously delivered the materials to poll organizers at the village level (PPS).

In some of the country's far-flung provinces, ballot papers were said to have reached the PPS officials.

In Jayapura, Papua, ballot papers arrived on June 20 and were sent from the provincial KPUD's warehouse destined for the province's remote regencies, officials at the KPUD said.

In a bid to prevent late distribution of the ballot papers, Governor J.P. Solossa had instructed all regents in the easternmost province to provide additional funds for such distribution.

In Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, a number of PPS officials said that they had received ballot papers for the July 5 polls, despite shortfalls in some forms needed for the ballot counting.

In Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, provincial KPUD officials said that although a substantial number of ballots had been distributed to regental KPUDs, ten regencies had not yet received the ink or ballot security seals.

KPUD member Yos Dasi Djawa said the province also needed 15,000 additional ballot papers.

In Bandarlampung, Lampung, the provincial KPUD office said that all materials for the polls had arrived at the regency KPUDs, but could not immediately deliver them to 365 PPS around the province due to geographic and financial constraints.

A member of the Lampung KPUD Chaerullah Gultom said the commission had difficulties reaching polling stations located in remote regions.

He claimed that distribution to those areas would require more money than they had in their budget. "We therefore ask the regental administrations to help with the distribution and the setting up of polling booths," he said.

However, despite the glitches, the KPUD was optimistic that one week before election day, all materials and polling stations would be ready.

In Palu, Central Sulawesi, provincial KPUD officials said that it was hoping the KPU in Jakarta would send an additional 39,000 ballot papers to the province to make up for a shortfall. "However, we are confident that the additional ballots will arrive before June 26," he said.

He also said that KPUD had completed distribution to the province's interior regions and distant islands.

In Samarinda, East Kalimantan, the provincial KPUD said that logistical woes had plagued the April 5 legislative election, but they would not recur as it managed to distribute all materials on time.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, provincial elections commission reported that it even kept and extra supply of materials on hand, particularly ballot papers.

KPU member Hamid Awaluddin said that all ballot papers would have reached PPS around the country by Friday evening before being distributed to over 580,000 polling stations.

"After the ballots reach the PPS officials, we still have three days to deliver them to each polling station," he said.

We have printed over 160 million papers for the July 5 election, and around 154 million people are eligible to vote.