Over 410,000 Jakartans registered for election

JAKARTA (JP): Some 7.1 percent of the city's 5.8 million eligible voters have registered for the June 7 general election as of Wednesday, the third day of the initial eight-day registration period, according to Governor Sutiyoso.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the governor did not reveal whether he was satisfied with the figure, which equals about 411,800 voters, but said he hoped more Jakartans would register as soon as possible.

"I hope more city residents will make use of the rest of registration period by registering at the registration booths in their respective neighborhoods so the (100 percent) target can be reached," he said.

Sutiyoso also stressed the need for people to participate in this year's poll, which, according to him, would determine the country's future.

The registration period began on Monday and will last until April 12. From April 13 to April 18, voter registration officials, or Gastarlih, will visit those who live in remote areas and those who are unable to register themselves.

Those who still are not registered will be allowed to register from April 30 to May 4.

Contacted separately, the chairman of the Jakarta Provincial Elections Committee, Djafar Badjeber, said the 7.1 percent figure was good for a city like Jakarta.

"Good. It's great," he said.

Meanwhile, Gastarlih in a number of locations in the city, including neighborhoods in Kebon Sirih subdistrict in Central Jakarta, have decided to go door-to-door to encourage voters to register.

"Leaders of political party branches here agreed that the registration officials could visit residents even though it's not in accordance with the directives of the General Elections Commission (KPU)," Hanafi Sab'ie, a staff member at the subdistrict office, said.

Hanafi said the decision was made in order to speed up the registration process.

The chief of Kali Pasir neighborhood in Rozali subdistrict confirmed that Gastarlih and community leaders in the area had visited local residents to encourage them either to register at registration booths or with the visiting Gastarlih.

"We just want to make the election a success," Rozali said.

Gastarlih also visited residents in several neighborhoods in the Pasar Minggu and Tebet districts of South Jakarta.

According to Djafar, he had not been informed about such steps being taken by Gastarlih.

He said Gastarlih and local community leaders should not conduct door-to-door registrations.

"They should follow the rules. Moreover, I'm afraid that Gastarlih will not be available at the registration booths to serve residents who came to register," Djafar, who is also head of the Jakarta chapter of the United Development Party, said.

However, he said "such conduct could be tolerated as long as it doesn't cause losses to voters".

A reliable source in the city administration said on Thursday that Gastarlih would be paid Rp 80 per registrant.

In Tangerang, west of here, the head of the Regency Elections Committee (PPD II), Lukman Hakim, said each of the committee members would receive honorariums ranging from Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000 per month.

Lukman also said the PPD II repeatedly had asked the KPU to provide details of the polling mechanisms to allow the local committee to better prepare for the election.

Like many cities across the country, Tangerang also failed to properly serve eligible voters on the first day of registration.

In Jakarta, Sutiyoso on Thursday promised to punish officials from the East Jakarta mayoralty's office of social and political affairs who allegedly were involved in selling stamps for registration forms to subdistrict heads for Rp 100,000 each.

East Jakarta Mayor Andi Mappaganty said after speaking with Sutiyoso that he would instruct the mayoralty inspectorate office to handle the case.

A day earlier, Mappaganty insisted the sale of the stamps had been agreed on by local subdistrict heads and the Subdistrict Polling Committee. However, the subdistrict heads denied any such agreement. (ind/41)