PPS members threaten to quit

PPS members threaten to quit

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Dozens of members of the poll
committee (PPS) in Kendari have threatened the local General
Elections Commission (KPU) that they will resign as they are
lowly paid.

Kiesman Thalib, one of poll committee members from Wakorumba
subdistrict here, complained on Thursday that they had been
working for six months and they were paid only Rp 40,000 (US$4.7)
per month.

The job is actually a part-time job.

Kiesman said that the workload was getting heavier in the run
up to the upcoming elections, and if the honorarium was not
increased immediately, they would resign.

For the time being, the committee members have only been
joining training programs held by KPU and been doing other light
work.

But, ahead of the election, they would be much busier, because
they have to manage the vote casting and the vote count in the
elections.

Tumbo Saranani, the chairman of Kendari KPU, said that he
would discuss the matter immediately with other members of the
KPU.

Currently, there are 156 poll committee members in 52
subdistricts in Kendari. -- JP