Elections could be postponed: Minister

Elections could be postponed: Minister

P.C. Naommy and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In spite of repeated assurances from the General Election
Commission (KPU) that the election would be held on schedule,
several delays in the preparations have led one highly placed
minister to consider a delay.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs ad
interim Hari Sabarno hinted on Wednesday that the election may be
delayed in certain areas due to problems with the procurement and
distribution of polling materials including 660 million ballot
papers.

After a meeting on security preparations for the election,
Hari said it now appeared impossible to deliver all materials 10
days (March 26) before the election, planned for April 5.

Under Election Law No. 12/2003, ballot papers must reach the
village election committees and overseas election committees 10
days before election day.

Hari said if by March 26, a number of areas had not yet
received the materials, then the KPU, coordinating with the
president and the legislature, would enact emergency actions,
such as delaying the election.

Hari said that there were about 22 articles in the Election
Law No. 12/2003 and No. 23/2003 which dealt with election delays.

Under articles 118 and 119 of the Election Law, a rescheduling
of the election in certain areas is possible under certain
circumstances, such as social unrest, natural disasters or other
security disturbances, which could lead to a disruption.

As a direct consequence of rescheduling, Hari said the
tabulation of the votes would also be delayed.

A decision will be made after a consultation meeting with the
KPU, the president and the legislature, Hari said.

The KPU must publicly announce the progress of election
materials, up to 10 days before the polling day.

Commission spokesman Lukman Syah said that as of early
Wednesday there were no regions which were completely without
election materials.

A delay would only be "half a day" at the most, Lukman said.

Separately KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, said Wednesday
that the Commission would consult with the government and the
House of Representatives within the next few days, to decide on
what measures would be taken -- while reiterating that the KPU
was not considering postponement.

Nazaruddin said the printing of ballots for the House election
were almost completed. All but one province now have all their
ballots printed, he said, the exception being West Java for which
the printing of ballots was also nearly complete.

The printing of ballots for the Regional Representatives
Council (DPD) stood at 99.77 percent, provincial legislative
council election at 95 percent, and regental/municipal
legislative election at 85 percent, he said.

"The printing of ballot paper for the House and DPD elections
is okay," he said.

But printing of ballots for the provincial legislative council
in Riau had just reached 75 percent, Yogyakarta 56 percent,
Banten 50 percent, Southeast Sulawesi 95 percent and North
Sumatra 99 percent.

"So far the printing of ballot paper for provincial
legislative council election in 25 provinces stood at 100
percent, and only seven have not yet finished," he said.

Printing of ballots paper for the regental/municipal
legislative elections in 17 provinces have not yet reached 100
percent, he said. He did not elaborate on the distribution of the
materials.

Nazaruddin also said that 90 percent of indelible ink bottles
had been delivered to regencies and municipalities.