KPU upbeat on April 5 election schedule

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.