KPU extends voter registration to May 4

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)