Kendari voters lacked papers

UNAAHA, Southeast Sulawesi: At least 10,000 residents of Kendari regency had not voted on poll day because they lacked identity papers, Antara reported on Friday.

Most of the residents were land tillers who had voluntarily joined transmigration programs, an executive of the regional elections committee, Soeparno, said.

The General Elections Commission had said any form of identity could be used for the voter registration process, such as marriage certificates or driving licenses.

Soeparno said many refugees fleeing the violence in Maluku had come to find work in the area, and had not brought essential documents with them. Many migrants were also afraid to vote, thinking they would be exposed to questioning by officials, he said.

At least 200 people of the Bajau sea community also did not vote because they were at sea.

There were 240,086 registered voters in the regency with a population of 427,398 people in 540 villages of 18 districts.