Rights body urges people to vote

JAKARTA: The National Commission on Human Rights urged people yesterday to participate in May's general election, but has conceded that voting is voluntary.

The secretary general of the commission, Baharuddin Lopa, said that voting benefited the development of democracy.

"Under democracy, general elections allow people to choose their own representatives," Lopa said.

"People who abstain will not be prosecuted, unless they persuade others to do likewise," he told members of the Center for Political Research and People's Advocacy (Puspipam).

Lopa said voting was not legally obligatory.

About 30 of Puspipam's members yesterday protested official's claims that voting was compulsory.

Puspipam states that general elections accommodated people's right to choose their own representatives.

"The rights, including the right not to vote, should be respected," the statement said.

They said officials were inclined to claim that voting is an obligation and that those who abstain are irresponsible.

"People can be manipulated, when voting is compulsory, and it is easy for human rights violations to occur," the statement said. (05)