KPU upbeat on April 5 election schedule

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Nazaruddin Syamsudin expressed optimism on Saturday that the general elections would run smoothly as scheduled, in spite of unresolved problems ranging from insufficient legislative candidates to ballot boxes.

"These are small problems. For the nation's sake, the elections will take place as scheduled on April 5," Nazaruddin said.

The legislative election is slated for April 5, when voters will elect members to the House of Representatives (DPR), provincial and regental legislatures and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

Indonesia will also hold its first ever direct presidential election on July 5, and in the event that there is no clear winner, a second round on Sept. 20.

Many have expressed fear that the elections will be delayed by ongoing problems with legislative candidates and ballot boxes.

Some political parties, including the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), have not yet finalized their legislative candidates in several provinces and regencies.

Doubts have also been raised by the production of ballot boxes, in which the KPU is facing several shortcomings from the winning companies of its ballot box tender.

Nazaruddin said PT Tjakrindo Mas had made a commitment to supply the ballot boxes as agreed in the contract, in particular, "to finish the ballot box production according to schedule".

Meanwhile, Tjakrindo marketing director Tirto Soeseno said on Friday that the company had stopped production since the KPU had not paid the first payment of Rp 40 billion (US$4.8 million).

"We will continue production if the KPU pays the first allotment," Tirto said.

For his part, Nazaruddin said the KPU would pay the first installment after the boxes were delivered to their destinations.

Tjakrindo, the second winner in the ballot boxes tender, was appointed to supply 40 percent of the total 2.19 million aluminum ballot boxes after tender winner PT Survindo Indah Prestasi (SIP) proved unable to fulfill the order.

Citing financial problems, Survindo has joined forces with a third company, PT Almas, to supply the remaining 60 percent.

Separately, KPU member Hamid Awaluddin said the commission would invite 24 political parties to sign an agreement on Thursday to ensure that the general elections proceed peacefully.

Hamid said the agreement would specifically ask that parties not claim certain areas as their strongholds to avoid clashes between rival supporters.

He declined to say whether the agreement was drawn up in response to a violent clash in October between PDI-P and Golkar Party supporters in Bali.

The clash was sparked during a Golkar Party activity in Buleleng when PDI-P members contended that Bali was their stronghold. In the incident, two Golkar members were killed by PDI-P members.

Hamid said the joint agreement would also obligate parties to guarantee the safety of journalists covering the elections.

"We don't want any violence against journalists," he said.