KPU, PPI split over vote-count schedule

JAKARTA (JP): A Wednesday morning decision by the National Elections Committee (PPI) to start the national ballot count on Thursday was overruled an hour later by a decree issued by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

The decree, signed by KPU chairman Rudini, orders the PPI not to start the national vote count pending a further decree to set the date for the process to begin.

"The plenary meeting of the General Elections Commission agreed that the PPI cannot start the national vote count tomorrow (Thursday)," the decree says.

KPU member Rasyidi said the decision was made in compliance with article 62 of the 1999 General Elections Law, which stipulates that the national vote count could start only after all 27 provincial elections committees submit final poll results and all complaints of election irregularities and fraud are settled.

Rasyidi, also a member of the KPU's 11-member special team assigned to inventory all election complaints, said the KPU would not punish the PPI, but would hold the PPI responsible if it continued with the plan.

Earlier in the morning, PPI chairman Jacob Tobing held a press conference announcing that the Committee would start a gradual vote count on Thursday, although less than half of the provincial elections committees have submitted poll results and many complaints of election violations have not been addressed.

Rudini also ruled that the PPI could not start the national vote count until the committee receives official reports from all 108 Overseas Elections Committees (PPLN). As of Wednesday, 97 Overseas Elections Committees had submitted their reports.

In Bandung, the Rectors Forum, an independent poll monitoring group, claimed it had completed counting votes in 20 provinces in its own parallel vote tabulation.

According to the independent count, which has a 1.5 percent error margin, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle won in nine provinces and Golkar in 10 provinces. (43/imn)