Puncak Jaya waits for ballot papers

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Voters in Puncak Jaya regency will have to wait several days to receive ballot papers sent from Jakarta earlier this week.

Wempi Wola, the provincial administration official in charge of sociopolitical affairs, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday the papers had just arrived in Fakfak, and it might take them a week to reach Puncak Jaya due to the lack of aircraft flying to the remote regency.

There is only one regular flight a week servicing Fakfak to here, the nearest town to Mulia, the capital of Puncak Jaya. Wempi said the Provincial Elections Committee could ask for help from a Protestant missionary, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), which owns an aircraft plying Mulia, to carry the ballot papers to Puncak Jaya.

"We can charter a plane if we want to make it quick, but how can we pay for it?" Wempi said.

The committee listed 20,254 people who are eligible to vote on June 7.

Meanwhile, Jayawijaya Regent David Hubi said campaigning in the regency has run peacefully since it kicked off on Wednesday. (34)