More bickering erupts among poll organizers

More bickering erupts among poll organizers

JAKARTA (JP): More quarreling took place among poll organizers
on Friday when chairman of the National Elections Committee
(PPI), Jacob Tobing, challenged a statement from Rudini, the
chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU), that the
former sent wrong instructions to provincial and local poll
committees.

The reportedly wrong instructions, among other things, have
been blamed for delays in vote counting and the announcement of
its results.

Jacob said he sent out the instructions on Rudini's order,
dated June 25. In his radiograms, Jacob asked Regency Elections
Committees (PPD II) to send tabulated poll results through KPU's
computer network and submit the original data listed on D4 and C1
forms to the duty personnel dealing with data entry who would
save it on computer.

Two days later, however, Jacob was informed that regency
committees should only dispatch data listed on the C1 form.

He said his instruction to the PPD IIs concerned was based on
a decision of the KPU during its June 25 plenary session.

Earlier complaints regarding his radiograms concerned the
vote-pooling deal known as stembus akoord.

Jacob announced there were five deals, but eight Islamic
parties involved in the first deal said there was only one,
namely their own. The KPU then set up a team to study the deals,
and has now recognized only two of them.

Representatives of the six political parties involved in one
of the deals lodged a protest on Friday to the KPU. Secretary-
general of the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) Hayono Isman said
the deal signed by his party and five others was in line with
Article 1320 of the Civil Code.

"The deal also met the procedural requirements in that it was
conveyed to the KPU on June 4, the deadline for the submission of
the vote-pooling deal," he said.

In their letter of protest, the six political parties
threatened to bring the case to court if the KPU did not endorse
the deal in one week. The parties might also reject the poll
results because they consider the election unfair and dishonest.

In his response, Rudini said the commission would study the
matter further, promising his best not to hurt any parties'
interests.

The National Elections Committee (PPI) continued on Friday the
count of votes from 108 overseas poll committees set up in 24
countries. After ballots in 52 polling places counted, the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) won
17,193 of 34,260 valid votes. The National Mandate Party (PAN)
was a distant second with 4,664 votes, followed by Golkar Party
with 3,022 votes.

Meanwhile, the provisional ballot count tallied by the KPU as
of 02.30 p.m. on Friday showed PDI Perjuangan still held the lead
with 24,089,202 votes.

Trailing in second place was Golkar with 13,121,512 votes,
followed by National Awakening Party (PKB) with 11,391,659,
United Development Party (PPP) with 6,821,389 and PAN with
4,636,684.

In a related development, parties whose vote earning was not
enough to secure a seat at the House of Representatives (DPR)
revealed on Friday they may merge and form new political parties
to contest the 2004 elections.

"There is a possibility that we'll merge and form new
political parties for the next general election," Agus Miftach,
chairman of the Indonesian People's Party (PARI), said.

Meanwhile, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee
(KIPP) reported to National Police on Friday an alleged electoral
violation, namely the dumping of sacks containing 92,451 used
ballots in Gresik, East Java.

A representative of the poll watchdog, Sira Prayuna, said the
local KIPP office earlier attempted to report the finding to
Gresik police who said they were too busy to meet with the
activists.

"We decided to meet with National Police chief Gen.
Roesmanhadi, who told us to file the report right away," Sira
said.

KIPP has sent the finding to the Election Supervisory
Committee, but no actions have been taken to follow up the
report.(imn/emf)