Smoking ban becomes hot topic at Media Center

JAKARTA (JP): A smoking ban is one feature attracting attention at the Media Center set up for the coverage of the June 7 election at the Hotel Aryaduta, Central Jakarta.

"Why is smoking banned here?" asked Hasbunal Arief of Media Indonesia.

"Many journalists cannot work without cigarettes, especially when the poll campaign begins and the pressure grows," he added.

The General Elections Committee (KPU) spokesman Djohermansyah Djohan, smiled and said there were many other places where smoking was allowed, such as the lobby.

The ban, he said, was there for the simple reason that non- smokers would choke on smoke that would likely fill the ballroom and six other separate rooms on the second floor.

The media center, a joint operation of the committee with foreign donors, cost US$2 million and was officiated on Tuesday by KPU chairman Rudini and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) resident coordinator Ravi Rajan.

Among foreign sponsors are the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) and the Election Assistance Project Indonesia of the Australian Electoral Commission.

Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus and foreign envoys attended the opening.

Yunus, a three-star general, looked impressed following the demonstration of ballot counting procedures projected on a wide screen in the center.

The press center, scheduled to operate until the third week of June, is the official source of all information concerning the elections.

It houses free Internet services and provides access to ballot counting results from the National Elections Committee (PPI). Results from provinces are able to be predicted and viewed on screens in the media center at the most one hour after tallying in respective provinces reaches PPI.

Djohermansyah said delays would likely be because of communication trouble and manual tallying at village and district levels.

Final results at the media center are expected in about 12 hours after tallying begins at about 4 p.m. on June 7, Djohermansyah said. Polling stations, which total some 250,000, close at 2 p.m. but the beginning of tallying in districts will depend on distance and transportation.

Results can also be received at the media center through the 220 phone lines installed, for which 150 operators and 50 facsimile machines will stand by.

"The press center will receive data from 4,000 districts. It will retrieve the data from the districts without interrupting the flow of official election returns through the regencies or municipalities and provinces," the spokesman added.

"Sixty computers are available here to enter the data and tabulate the results. We will have 400 crew members supporting the process here," Djohermansyah said.

Dozens of free phone lines are provided for local calls.

The media center will also announce official reports and information from accredited national and international poll watchers.

"We will use two large screens to visualize the results of the balloting from all across the country," Djohermansyah said.

Special security protocols are used to prevent data being tampered with. "And the public can access and follow the balloting process through www.kpu.go.id.

"People can ask results of the vote counting every hour directly to the press center," he added.

Public Relations officer of Hotel Aryaduta, Prissilia Pangemanan said the hotel also provides special rates for media crews, called the News Flash Package, which is valid until July 31.

Rooms categorized as superior are Rp 300,000 plus 21 percent tax. "The Regency Club Superior Room is Rp 350,000 plus tax with more facilities such as a free Continental breakfast and fitness center," she said.

Aryaduta boasts as being the only hotel in Jakarta that has a commercialized helipad which will stand by for two months commencing May 15. It is, however, for emergency situations only.

"Three private air services are available, the Gatari Air Service, Tarsindo Air Service and Derazona Air Service," she added. The chopper can fly from the hotel to Halim Perdanakusuma airport in East Jakarta and Soekarno-Hatta International airport in West Jakarta within 10 minutes or less.

"It also serves air charters to Singapore and Bali," she added. (edt)