Poll monitoring body records 19,504 violations

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elaborate on the amount of money withdrawn.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)