Local government told to prepare for polls

Local government told to prepare for polls

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Denpasar

The government has called on regional administrations across the
country to take the measures necessary to ensure all eligible
voters can exercise their right to vote in the presidential
election scheduled for July 5.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno conveyed the message
during a coordination meeting with the governors of Bali and West
Nusa Tenggara, and mayors and regents from the two provinces.

"We should regard voter registration in the legislative
election in April as a valuable lesson. Registration is one of
the most difficult stages in preparing for an election," he told
the meeting here on Saturday.

State Secretary Bambang Kesowo and State Intelligence Body
(BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono were also in attendance.

The home minister also suggested that the local
administrations prepare for a lengthy period of work due to the
possibility of a runoff on Sept. 20.

Of 148,000,369 registered voters, almost 16 percent did not
participate in the legislative election, because many had not
been reregistered as eligible voters by the General Elections
Commission (KPU).

With regard to the distribution of poll materials for the
presidential election, the minister urged local administrations
to assist the KPU in delivery of ballot papers and indelible ink
to polling stations.

Th KPU was forced to delay voting in some areas in Papua, Aceh
and East Nusa Tenggara because it failed to distribute ballot
papers on time.

The commission blamed difficult terrain and bad weather for
the delayed vote at 513 polling stations in seven of 20 regencies
in Papua, and security concerns for the postponement in war-torn
Aceh.

The government issued a regulation in lieu of law to
anticipate election delays as a result of the logistical
problems. The regulation amended the election law, which says a
delay is permissible in the event of riot, natural disaster or
security disturbance.

Hari said that the central government would issue a guideline
that would allow the local administrations to use emergency funds
from the regional budget to distribute election materials.

To ensure accountability in regional budget expenditure, he
said, the government would assign the inspector general in each
local government, plus accountants, to audit the expenditure.

Hari, who is also the interim coordinating minister for
political and security affairs, asserted that vote counting would
be crucial in the presidential election.

In contrast to the legislative election, in which the value of
a vote varied from one electoral district to another, a vote in
the presidential election has the same value anywhere in the
country.

"Vote counting must be done accurately because a vote can
determine the election result," he said.

To win the presidency a candidate must garner more than 50
percent of the total vote. The vote in at least 17 provinces may
not be less than 20 percent.

If no contender manages to secure an outright majority, the
top two candidates will contest a runoff.

Hari called on all state officials intending to join the
campaign team of a presidential candidate to inform their
superiors and take leave.

A governor must seek permission from the President via the
home minister, while a regent or mayor must similarly obtain
permission from the home minister via the governor.