Police guard KPUD office after attack

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

Police stood guard at the Tanjung Balai Regional General Elections Commission (KPUD) office on Wednesday after a mob attacked the building in protest over alleged electoral violations.

The police said two people were arrested as suspects in the incident on Tuesday night.

There were no fatalities and no one was injured when thousands of protesters, from several political parties, stormed the KPUD, stoning the building.

The attack left the office's windows shattered and the sign outside the building was torn down.

Election officials panicked and fled the building.

Thousands of documents also reportedly disappeared after the attack.

The mob was angered by allegations that local KPUD members were involved in election fraud during the polling day on Monday.

They demanded that elections in at least four polling stations in the neighborhoods of Bunga Tanjung and Pahang be rerun to ensure fair and free voting.

The protesters marched to the KPUD office on Jl. Sudirman in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra, but were unable to meet any officials there. The frustrated protesters later started to vandalize the building, forcing workers there to flee.

Herna Vaiva, a protest coordinator who also chairs Tanjung Bali chapter of the New Indonesia Alliance Party (PPIB), said demonstrators were disappointed by the KPUD's bias in response to election violations.

The KPUD appeared to turn a blind eye to alleged infractions by a certain political party ahead of the election day, he added.

"There are many irregularities found, such as distributing food a few days ahead of the election and up to minutes before voting began.

"A number of witnesses and voters have also admitted to have been given large amounts of money by a major party. All this has been reported to the KPUD, but there was no response," Herna said.

He said that since the beginning the selection of local KPUD members was tainted by political interests in favor of certain parties, which had reportedly influenced their nominations.

This case had also been reported to the central General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta, he added.

Tanjung Balai's KPUD member Marolop Simangunsong admitted that his office had some shortcomings but denied that it had performed poorly in organizing the legislative election.

He slammed the attack by party supporters on his office, saying it was against the law and should be processed according to the law.

If people found electoral violations, their parties should have reported them to the local General Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), instead of reacting violently, he said.

Marolop denied that KPUD members were elected following support from a major party. "We are neutral and impartial. We don't want to side with any particular party."

Tanjung Balai Police chief Adj. Comr. Chairul Anwar said his office was investigating the incident and vowed to take firm action against the attackers.

He said two people were arrested and were being questioned in connection with the attack.

"Two suspects are being detained for questioning," said Anwar, who was among dozens of police personnel guarding the KPUD building along with Teluknibung Police chief Adj. Comr. Samsul Bahri.