Poll monitoring body records 19,504 violations

JAKARTA (JP): The Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) has discovered 19,504 violations during Monday's balloting across Indonesian provinces outside East Timor and Aceh, according to chairman Mulyana W. Kusumah on Wednesday.

Monitoring approximately 79,000 polling places or 25 percent of the total 320,000 polling places nationwide, KIPP activists found most violations were in the form of the use of "fake" ink, late ballot counting at booths and multiple voting, according to KIPP member Sudaryono.

Sudaryono said a total of 4,105 cases were found where the supposedly indelible ink washed off in minutes or bottles of indelible ink were replaced with ordinary ink.

He revealed 25 percent of the fake ink used during the poll was locally made by PT Surya Halex, a local firm owned by politician M.A.S. Alex Atmasoebrata, with money derived from the state budget.

"The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) only agreed to fund bottles of indelible ink produced in India. The General Elections Commission (KPU) decided otherwise," Sudaryono told The Jakarta Post.

Sudaryono explained that initially three bids were put in for the local production of the indelible ink.

"At the last minute, a fourth tender was put in. PT Surya Halex won that tender. The UNDP refused to give the money to produce locally made ink. So, (KPU chairman) Rudini withdrew money from the state budget," Sudaryono alleged, refusing to elaborate on the amount of money withdrawn.

He said on June 1, complaints about the "washable ink" first came from Yogyakarta, Manado, North Sulawesi and Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

"On June 2, a KPU meeting was called to discuss the unfortunate progress of events. Alex failed to attend it," he said.

Rudini could not be reached for confirmation on Wednesday.

As reported earlier, KPU spokesman Djohermansjah Djohan stated that 75 percent of the ink was provided by the UNDP, which is providing technical support for the elections.

He said 25 percent of the ink needed for 127.6 million eligible voters was produced by local firms including PT Surya Halex, and that due to several complaints from many provincial polling committees, the ink would be replaced before the country went to the polls on June 7.

Sudaryono said the problems concerning washable ink that occurred at thousands of polling booths across 25 provinces was proof that no replacements had taken place.

Data from KIPP also revealed that up to 2,403 cases of late ballot counting were reported by Indonesian residents, election observers and KIPP members. In addition, the organization found up to 1,740 cases where people were caught voting more than once.

According to the UNDP newsletter, a total of 2.7 million poll workers and over 600,000 poll monitors were deployed to organize and watch the June 7 elections. Planes, trains, ships and automobiles were used to dispatch poll material supplies, including 620,000 bottles of indelible electoral ink, 2.8 million poll worker manuals and 413 million ballots.

The UNDP has so far disbursed over Rp 125 billion to non- governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in voter education and monitoring activities.

In addition, the UNDP disbursed more than Rp 245 billion for KPU activities including voter registration, the establishment of provincial election committees, a press center, tabulation related equipment and support, poll worker training, ballot printing and electoral ink.

Lead

The KIPP also launched its own vote counting and said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) was leading, Mulyana said.

Megawati's party won 8.5 million votes, according to information gathered by KIPP from some 22.9 million out of the approximately 112 million voters nationwide.

Second is the National Awakening Party (PKB) with 5.72 million votes, followed by the ruling Golkar Party in third with 3.38 million votes.

The United Development Party (PPP), he said, temporarily stood at fourth position with 1.56 million votes while the National Mandate Party (PAN), at fifth with 1.16 million votes.

Mulyana stated that the figures "should not in any way" be a reflection of the seats the leading political parties could win at the House of Representatives (DPR), provincial (DPRD I) or regional legislatures (DPRD II).

He said 43 percent of the KIPP data was collected from within Java while the remaining 57 percent from regions outside of Java.

"Any of the four major parties apart from PDI Perjuangan could take over. Golkar, for instance, is leading in West Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, Sulawesi Tenggara and North and South Sulawesi." (ylt)