KPU extends voter registration to May 4
JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) has extended voter registration to May 4, from the official deadline of April 29, in a bid to gather more participants, KPU chairman Rudini said on Saturday.
Despite a markedly different method of voter registration, in which voters register themselves, Rudini said given the short period of registration, beginning Monday, officials would still go to potential voters to assist them in registering.
Rudini also reiterated that apart from an identification card, other documents could be used to register. "There are 13 other legal papers to substitute the ID card."
Activists had protested the requirement of ID cards for voter registration, saying many poor people did not have them due to illegal high costs. Accepted documents for registration include notification from neighborhood chiefs. The government has also urged regional administrations to encourage residents to have their ID cards issued, if possible for free.
Rudini reiterated that registration is free of charge and that there was no need for migrants to go back to their towns or villages, as they could list their names at Subdistrict Polling Committees (PPS).
Registering more than once would be difficult given the cross checking involved in registration, Rudini said.
This practice was reportedly said to have happened in past elections to enable a person to vote twice for a certain party.
Registration for Indonesian citizens living abroad will be conducted by Indonesian embassies in respective countries.
Below is the schedule of voter registration:
* April 5 to April 12: voter registration starts at all subdistrict polling committees.
* April 13 to April 18: registration officials visit voters, especially those living in remote areas or who are invalids, sick, older citizens and prisoners.
* April 19 to April 21: listing of voter names in alphabetical order by subdistrict committees, authorized by District Polling Committees (PPK).
* April 22 to April 24: announcement of tentative voter list by subdistrict committees.
* April 24 to April 26: revision and relisting of tentative voter list.
* April 27 to April 29: announcement of final voter list.
* April 30 to May 4: extension of voter registration.
Code
Rudini also said that sanctions on political parties violating the campaign's code of conduct would be imposed based on the severity of the violation.
"The strongest sanction is for a party to be banned from campaigning. We did not rule for the party to be disqualified from the elections because such a ruling has been stipulated in a law in the past elections."
The law states that parties will be disqualified from contesting the polls if, among other things, they violate the law banning contributions from overseas.
He acknowledged a change in an earlier draft of the campaign code of conduct, which said parties violating campaign rules could be disqualified from contesting the June poll.
The code of conduct contains a clause stating that parties to be sanctioned would be consulted with by the Supervisory Election Committee.
Rudini said that if Golkar violated the ruling by letting ministers campaign, "the gathering could be dispersed by security forces."
Regardless of the controversy over the commission's ruling against parties recruiting officials, including ministers, from campaigning, Golkar announced on Thursday it had assigned several ministers, who are Golkar executives, to join campaigning.
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, who is also minister/state secretary, had said President B.J. Habibie was preparing a regulation to arrange a leave of absence to enable ministers to campaign.
Earlier, the Supreme Court, at the request of the government, had offered its "legal opinion", saying the KPU had no right to rule on the position of ministers since this was the right of the President.
Until Saturday, Rudini said the government had not contacted the commission regarding the issue.
Rudini said it was unlikely that Golkar would violate campaign rules, saying it would be "embarrassing" for them.
He added that the commission is yet to decide on the issue of their budget, including a controversial proposed budget of Rp 1 billion for each political party. (edt)