More printing firms may withdraw

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three firms that have made little progress printing much-needed election ballot papers were being asked to explain themselves, the General Elections Commission (KPU) said on Wednesday.

On Wednesday night the KPU was to met with representatives of two firms to clarify reports of their poor performance. It would meet with another firm on Thursday.

KPU head Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin said its information was the companies had made no significant progress printing the 50 million ballot papers needed for the election of regental legislature (DPRD II) members.

"We will clarify the problem with them. If they cannot explain themselves satisfactorily, we will cut their contracts and take action against them," Nazaruddin said after a plenary meeting. He refused to disclose the identity of the three firms.

He said the firms were responsible for ballot paper printing in the Java and Papua regencies among others.

However, Nazaruddin expressed his optimism the printing process could finish on schedule even if the three firms were dropped, He said KPU could give the job to other firms, which could finish it in one to two days.

"So please do not exaggerate the problems," he told gathered media.

Three firms have already given up printing the ballot papers for the election of DPRD II members. The companies, PT Rorakarya, PT Kuwu Cakti Abadi and PT Bengawan Ilmu, were together responsible for provision of 31 million papers.

Nazaruddin said the KPU would offer incentives to encourage the remaining printing firms to improve their performance. The KPU expects each company to produce 100,000 ballot papers a day in order to meet the March 18 deadline.

"We will raise the printing price by 10 percent from the average Rp 275 (US3c) per sheet," he said.

Due to the increasing number of voters, the KPU has raised the number of ballot papers to 160 million from an earlier total of 150 million for each election. The 18 groups of companies that won the tender will now have to print 640 million ballot papers, plus another 10 percent to be kept in reserve.

Indonesians will elect members of the House of Representatives (DPR), provincial legislature (DPRD I), regental legislature (DPRD II) and Regional Representative Council (DPD) on April 5.

As of Wednesday, Nazaruddin said 92 percent of ballot papers for the election of DPR and DPD members had been completed, in addition to 43.5 percent of ballot papers for the DPRD I member election.

KPU members have expressed optimism all ballot papers will reach polling stations on March 25 at the latest.

The KPU has also accredited 42 election monitoring institutions, eight from overseas, which will observe the election process.

The foreign monitors are the European Union Electoral Observation Mission; the International Foundation for Election Systems; the Australian Electoral Commission; the Adia Foundation; the Japanese-based Interband; the U.S-based National Democratic Institute; the International Republican Institute; and the Asian Network for Free Elections.

Eleven foreign embassies in Jakarta, including those of the U.S., Japan, the Netherlands, Britain and South Africa, will also deploy personnel to observe the elections.