KPUD protests minister's decree

PADANG, West Sumatra: The provincial office of the General Elections Commission (KPUD) has protested against a circular issued by State Minister for Administrative Reform Taufik Effendi, which bans government employees from serving on local election and polling committees during the upcoming local elections.

The circular was issued on March 31.

But Marzul Veri, a member of the West Sumatra KPUD, said over the weekend that the circular must be revised or revoked as the KPUD had already spent some Rp 44 million (US$4,731) on recruiting and training some 121,000 people to work as members of election and polling committees, some 70 percent of whom were government employees.

He said that since the issuance of the circular, many government employees had withdrawn from the committees -- something that could threaten the viability of the local elections.

"If all of them quit the committees, we'll be in trouble," he said.

Various provinces, regencies, and municipalities in the country are scheduled to elect their respective local leaders in June in what will be the country's first direct local elections. -- detik.com