Poll body assures public all is OK
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Ambon/Samarinda
Despite repeated rescheduling the General Elections Commission (KPU) claimed on Friday that 85 percent of over 300 million ballot papers would reach all polling stations by March 25.
The papers are for the House of Representatives and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) candidates, which the KPU says have been distributed to regencies and municipalities.
Optimism prevailed in a press conference held by KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, members Valina Singka Subekti and Chusnul Mar'iyah, and KPU deputy secretary-general Sussongko Rahardjo.
Valina, who is in charge of ballot paper distribution, said there was considerable progress in the distribution despite widespread fears of delay.
However election officials in Samarinda, East Kalimantan and in Ambon, Maluku reiterated such fears.
In Ambon the head of the election commission Idrus Tatuhey planned emergency measures in case ballot papers do not reach the province by March 20.
"Folding and grouping of ballot papers (to be sent to polling stations) will be done on the ship and we'll first send papers to the most remote areas," he said.
This way, he added, distant areas like Tanimbar, the Aru islands and East Seram would receive ballot papers before April 5, the scheduled date for the nation's legislative elections.
In Samarinda, East Kalimantan Governor Suwarna AF lambasted the KPU for what he called disorganization leading to disruption in the printing of ballot papers for DPD candidates.
"We have procedures to follow regarding the issuance of funds from the provincial budget," he said.
The province was Rp 3.6 billion short while the available budget was only Rp 5 billion, spokesman Syafruddin Pernyata said. "We haven't even received the KPU fund of Rp 1.4 billion," he added, while the printing company had requested a 10 percent down payment.
The KPU stated on Friday that distribution of the ballot papers had commenced in all regencies in Bali from March 9, 10 regencies in North Sumatra from March 7, four in South Sumatra from March 5 and all regencies in West Sumatra from March 8.
Sussongko said that the printing of ballot papers for the House and the DPD from electoral districts in West Irian Jaya and Papua would be completed on Friday and would be delivered on Saturday by plane.
Nazaruddin said that the Indonesian Military is ready to assist in the delivery of ballot papers to seven remote provinces of Papua, West Irian Jaya, North Maluku, Aceh, Riau Islands, East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.