Local government to help logistics contingency plan
Local government to help logistics contingency plan
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta
Regional governments will also share the burden of emergency
measures in anticipation of problems that may hinder the upcoming
elections, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Friday.
"We ordered the regional administrations on Thursday to deal
with possible logistical problems only, such as the provision of
ballot boxes and distribution of ballot papers," Hari said before
a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The regional administrations, he added, would not prepare a
contingency plan to deal with other obstacles such as security
threats or political tensions.
He said in areas where the General Elections Commission (KPU)
could not distribute ballot boxes, the local administration would
have to provide wooden boxes of a similar standard to those used
in the 1999 polls.
"But the most important thing is we have to make sure all the
ballot papers are valid. We can produce wooden boxes but not
ballot papers," Hari said.
KPU will have to distribute 2.19 million ballot boxes and 160
million ballot papers to around 540,000 polling stations across
the country 10 days before the poll on April 5.
Hari said to ensure the distribution, the government had also
asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) to support the distribution
of the election kits to make sure they arrive at all destinations
on time.
With the help of the TNI, the process could finish in less
than a week, Hari said.
"What can only help in technical matters, which are also
important in ensuring the election takes place on schedule," he
said.
The minister said the instruction was delivered across the
country after evaluating the ongoing election preparation by the
KPU.
The contingency plan has made headlines over the past few days
after the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) identified 28
possible threats to the elections, ranging from the delay in the
distribution of ballot boxes and papers to security problems,
during a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I
on security and foreign affairs earlier this week.
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais hailed the
government's initiative to draft the contingency plan in
anticipation of a delay in the election.
He suggested that the government also think about the worst-
case scenario.
"I think preparing a contingency plan is a good step. We must
not only think of the bright side, but should also be prepared
for the worst," he told the media here on Friday.
Amien, who is the presidential candidate of the National
Mandate Party (PAN), acknowledged, however, he was optimistic the
elections would proceed on time.
Despite problems in the procurement of ballot boxes and the
ballot papers, he said, he anticipated that the contingency plan
would not be needed.
Regarding the campaign schedule for the President, Vice
President and Cabinet ministers, Hari said the timetable was
being drafted by deputy Cabinet secretary Erman Radjagukguk.
"Each minister will have three consecutive days off for
campaigning, but they must put state affairs before party
interests," Hari said.
Citing an example, he said a minister must take part in an
emergency Cabinet meeting despite his or her campaign schedule.
Should they miss the Cabinet meeting it will cost them their
right to campaign.
Campaigning will take place between March 11 and April 1. None
of the Cabinet ministers are registered as legislative
candidates.