Govt allows civil servants to serve as poll workers

Govt allows civil servants to serve as poll workers

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government will allow civil servants to serve as poll workers
(PPS/PPK/KPPS) in the upcoming regional elections, retracting its
previous policy that was meant to minimize the involvement of the
government in elections.

Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf said on Tuesday that State
Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Taufik Effendy has issued
a circular declaring that civil servants may serve as poll
workers under two conditions: they must maintain their
neutrality, and must obtain permission from their respective
supervisors.

The circular was issued on Monday and has been sent to
regional administrations and local branches of the General
Elections Commission (KPU) across the country.

"There have been multiple interpretations (about the previous
circular). There are no laws banning civil servants becoming PPS
or PPK. The most important thing is that they are able to remain
neutral. Go ahead," Ma'ruf said.

Earlier, on March 31, Taufik issued a circular banning the
involvement of civil servants in the organization of the regional
elections.

Ma'ruf earlier raised his objection to the issuance of the
circular following protests from several regions, which have
already appointed civil servants as poll workers.

Most poll workers are civil servants, including employees of
regional administrations and teachers.

They argued that there would be no time to get new poll
workers as the deadline for the first direct regional elections
is approaching.

Ma'ruf said that there would be seven provinces and 174
regencies/mayoralties across the country ready to hold regional
elections by June.

"As many as 181 provinces, regencies and mayoralties will be
ready to hold elections in June," Ma'ruf asserted.

So far only three provinces, including Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam, Papua and West Irian Jaya, have decided to postpone
regional elections.

The election for governor, and elections of regents and
mayoralties in some areas in Aceh, will also be postponed as life
has yet to return to normal there after last year's tsunami.

As for Papua and West Irian Jaya, the postponement is because
both provinces has yet to form the Papua Representatives Assembly
(MRP) as mandated by law.

The government has issued a government regulation in lieu of
law to enable regions to postpone elections for various reasons,
including natural disasters and lack of funds, as the existing
Law No. 32/2004 on regional administrations does not stipulate
reasons for postponement.

A presidential decree is essential for the postponement of
regional elections for governor, while a ministerial decree from
the Ministry of Home Affairs is required for the postponement of
elections for regents and mayors.

The postponement must be decided by the regional office of the
General Elections Commission (KPUD).

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on
Indonesians not to cause security disruptions during the regional
elections.

"If all the regional elections, which are taking place at the
same time, are disrupted by unfavorable factors, then the growing
perception that our country is good, just, safe and democratic
will collapse," he said, while opening the IV National Meeting of
the Association of Regional Council Leaders at the State Palace.