PKS apologizes to PBB, Freedom Party

JAKARTA: The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has apologized to the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) and the Freedom Party for its mistake in putting the serial numbers of the two parties in specimen ballot papers used in simulation polls.

"To maintain our close relations, the PKS once again offers an apology to the supporters and workers of the PBB and the Freedom Party for the mistake," PKS deputy chairman Al Muzammil Yusuf said on Saturday.

He was responding to a complaint filed by the PBB with the National Police, the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the General Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) about what had happened.

In the specimen ballot papers used in the simulation, the PBB was placed fourth in numerical order instead of third, while the Freedom Party was third instead of fourth.

Al Muzammil said the mistakes had been mere human error and that PKS had no intention whatsoever of mistakenly putting the serial numbers of the two parties on the specimen ballot papers, much less to discredit them.

He said the PKS central executive board had met with Freedom Party chairman Adi Sasono to clarify the case and the latter had said he considered it settled.

"We intend to meet with the PBB central executive board to clarify the case. We hope it can be resolved cordially," he said.

However, if the PBB insisted on taking the case to court, the PKS would be ready to challenge it, he said. -- Antara