Poll probe results to be released March

JAKARTA (JP): The results of investigations into the 3,000 reported electoral law violations committed by the parties and government officials will be announced by next March, an official said Saturday.

Election Supervision Committee chief Singgih said that all cases, except those with insufficient evidence of fraud, would be investigated.

The most common violations reported by the United Development party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) included civil servants voting for Golkar twice or more times at different polling stations.

If found guilty, the offenders could face up to five years imprisonment.

"I know the contestant (Golkar) did not order the civil servants to do it. Some civil servants might have done so on their own initiative," Singgih said.

He said the authorities had no reason not to investigate the violations which peaked in rioting in South Kalimantan's capital of Banjarmasin, the East Java town of Sampang and other places.

The May 23 Banjarmasin riot, in which at least 123 people died, was the most violent incident related to this year's election.

In Sampang, PPP supporters angered by alleged vote-rigging burned ballot boxes and forced a revote.

Singgih said the police were investigating the riots in Banjarmasin and Sampang because they were criminal matters.

"The Election Supervision Committee has asked the police to question suspects and collect material evidence. The committee has also sent its members to the provinces to make sure that all reports are followed up," he said.

According to the committee, the PPP has reported 984 violations, Golkar 1,572 and the PDI 370.

Two hundred and forty of the claims are on political violations, 747 are on administrative violations and 1,912 are on criminal violations.

Singgih, also the attorney general, said that to assure independence, the committee was involving representatives of the thee parties in investigations.

The PPP was represented by Tosari Widjaja and Zein Badjeber, and the PDI by Panangian Siregar, he said.

"The results will be useful input for the next general election," he said. (05)