Panwaslu officials face threats, continued violations

Panwaslu officials face threats, continued violations

The Jakarta Post, Semarang/Mataram/Makassar

The occupational hazards of supervising the electoral
preparations became clear on Thursday as a provincial election
supervisory official reported to police that he had been
receiving threats to his person.

Head of the Central Java Election Supervisory Committee
(Panwaslu) Nur Hidayat Sardini said he had requested police
protection after receiving threatening text messages to his
cellular phone from Jan. 5 to Jan. 7.

He said the messages included those that said: "I know what
time you leave home and return to the office ..."; "I know where
you live and that your wife is now alone at home".

Nur Hidayat said he suspected several regents and their
supporters from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), because the Committee had taken measures against
their activities that were considered disguised campaigning.

"My wife is quite shocked by the threats," he said. Nur has
filed a report with Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Didi
Widayadi.

Nur said 11 regents in the province also led PDI Perjuangan
chapters, and that their disguised campaigns included school
textbooks in their respective regions donning red covers and
public officials wearing red jackets.

Red is the official color of the party.

In Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, the provincial Panwaslu
removed some 100 flags, banners and other party paraphernalia
from various public facilities. Mataram Panwaslu head Qazuini
said the Committee would remove such promotional material if
party officials did not do so.

Committee officials were accompanied by a team of armed police
while carrying out their task.

Muhammad Nur, leader of Golkar's Ampenan district chapter,
protested, "The party flag (that was removed) was on my private
property."

Qazuini said the measures were decided last month between the
Panwaslu, the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Mataram
administration. The three bodies had agreed that promotional
material could only be displayed at specific locations such as
the headquarters of parties, at the Panwaslu and the KPU.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, the Regional General Elections
Commission (KPUD) returned some 1,000 sets of documents submitted
by legislative candidates from 24 parties, saying they were
either incomplete or questionable.

KPUD member Muhammad Darwis added that none of the parties had
fulfilled the 30 percent quota for women candidates, and that
only 287 out of 1,119 candidates, or about 26 percent, were
women.

Parties have until Jan. 19 to meet the quota.

The Coalition of South Sulawesi Women Activists (KAPSS) said
none of the parties ranked women aspirants high on their
provincial candidacy lists. At the municipal and regental levels,
only 20 women from 15 parties were given top slots.

The numerical order of candidates determine their chances of
getting a legislative seat, if their party wins enough votes.

KAPSS spokesperson Husaemah Husain said if parties still
failed to meet expectations in their final lists, the
organization would advocate against voting for those parties.

Activists have been pushing for the minimum 30 percent quota
for women legislative candidates, which is stipulated in the
General Elections Law, but has not been enforced.

The quota was established in a bid to give women a greater
voice in the legislature.