Inferior ink to be dumped before elections in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Ink distributed to all Jakarta mayoralties to prevent cheating at the polls will be withdrawn and replaced with a more indelible type, the Jakarta election committee said.

Deputy chairman Harun Al Rasyid told The Jakarta Post on Monday that it was discovered that the ink, which has been located in all five mayoralties, would wash off.

Use of ink -- which people will dip their fingers into after voting -- is supposed to prevent multiple voting by remaining on the voter's hands for at least three days. Incidents of people voting on multiple occasions were reported during the 1997 elections.

"We have sent a letter to the General Elections Commission to replace the ink with a better type." However, the ink was already distributed to the district level by Monday.

The General Elections Commission said 75 percent of the ink was provided by the United Nations Development Program, which is giving technical support for the elections. Twenty-five percent of the ink needed for 127.6 million voters is produced by local firms including PT Surya Halex, commission spokesman Djohermansjah Djohan said on Monday.

The commission was alerted to the ink's deficiency following reports last week from several provincial committees.

Djohermansjah could not give a definite date when the ink would be replaced except that it would be before the country goes to the polls on June 7.

After a break on Sunday to observe Buddha's Day of Enlightenment, street rallies on Monday were dominated by the green adorning the faces, bodies, flags and banners of supporters of the United Development Party (PPP).

Two supporters managed to climb the Welcome Statue at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to wave the party's flag.

A large stage on Jl. Kampung Melayu Besar in East Jakarta accommodated a dangdut performance, which led to congestion.

Thousands attended a campaign rally in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, featuring party chairman Hamzah Haz. The party hired a fire engine for Rp 300,000 (US$375) to spray water on overheated dancers. Hundreds of supporters of the Indonesian Muslim Awakening Party (Kami) and Indonesian United Islam Party (PSII) also conducted street rallies.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso urged better communication among party leaders to face any possible attempts to foil the polls, warning that "violence and infiltration" may increase.

Sutiyoso noted a reduction in anxiety among Jakartans concerning campaigning, which officially ends June 4.

"Shop owners are running their business as usual," he said.

Jakarta Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Sutanto said that despite the relatively smooth campaigning, almost all parties contesting the polls violated traffic rules. Some also failed to notify the police of campaign events, a rule agreed to by police and the official poll organizers and supervisors.

"During the campaign's first round, only 50 percent of (48) parties contesting the polls submitted notification to city police, which improved to about 70 percent during the second round," he said. (ida/jun/edt)