KPU selects four firms for ballot printing
KPU selects four firms for ballot printing
M. Taufiqurrahman and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has picked the first four firms to print at least 151 million ballot papers for the presidential election.
Emerging from closed-door negotiations with the companies, KPU member Hamid Awaluddin said PT Temprint, PT Temprina Media Grafika, PT Kartika Naya and printing giant PT Gramedia were the first four firms to be awarded the printing job.
Hamid, who is in charge of the ballot paper procurement, said the KPU was still negotiating with other firms on the list of 17 tender winners in the legislative election.
"The four companies did not have any problem in fulfilling the printing order for ballot papers for the April 5 legislative election. They have proven that they can complete their work on time and of good quality. And more importantly, they did not subcontract," Hamid told a press briefing here.
He said if the deals were finalized with the four firms, they could immediately obtain the ballot paper template and start the printing job on Friday.
The four firms were selected as they operate at least two four-color processing printing machines.
Hamid, however, refused to disclose the price agreed upon between the KPU and the firms.
"This is not a tender, so we did not choose the firms based on price," he said.
Some firms that won the contract to print ballot papers for the legislative election admitted to enjoying huge profits as the KPU set a far higher price than what the firms actually spent per sheet.
Hamid said all companies granted the printing job for the July 5 election were expected to complete the printing in 10 days.
"The printing is expected to be completed in seven days and another three days will be given for packaging," he said.
Despite the glitches in the procurement of ballot papers for the legislative election, KPU will not closely supervise the printing of ballot papers for the presidential election.
"We will only deploy the KPU staff members. Our internal supervision division will assume the supervisory role," Hamid said.
He said that far-flung regions of the country would be prioritized for distribution to prevent another delay in the poll due to logistical problems.
The KPU has set the size of the ballot papers for the July election at 26 cm by 47 cm, with full color for the front page and two colors for the back page.
The latest data from the Central Statistics Agency revealed over 151 million eligible voters have been registered for the first direct presidential election ever to be held in the country.
The commission required some 660 million ballot papers for the legislative elections, costing taxpayers more than Rp 180 billion (US$20 million).
Separately, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the police as of May 22 had beefed up security across the country by deploying two thirds of its force. Poso in Central Sulawesi, Ambon in Maluku, Papua and Aceh will be the areas under close watch.
He said bomb squad personnel had been sent to Ambon as blasts continue to rock the troubled city. No new reinforcement will be sent to Poso, but a considerable number of personnel are on alert in Makassar in South Sulawesi.
Da'i said more police would be deployed to Papua, with the police still smarting from a shortage of security personnel in the easternmost province during the legislative election.
"Some of our personnel were shot by separatist group members during the legislative election and we were outnumbered by the attackers," said Da'i.