Sulawesi, Kalimantan poll outcome disputed

Sulawesi, Kalimantan poll outcome disputed

JAKARTA (JP): Hopes for a general election free of electoral
violations are being dashed as opposition parties in many
regencies reject poll results, alleging government officials
helped the Golkar Party.

In Southeast, South and Central Sulawesi, the dissatisfied
parties have demanded a repeat of the polls, while in other
provinces a unified push from all parties concerned for a
similar measure to be taken is yet to be made.

In South Sulawesi, demands to invalidate the poll results have
come from six regencies: Gowa, Bulukumba, Bantaeng, Jeneponto,
Luwu and North Luwu. In Jeneponto, the local Independent Election
Monitoring Committee (KIPP) also insisted on a repeat of the
polls.

Golkar has so far topped the vote in South, Southeast and
Central Sulawesi.

Similar objections came from 26 political parties in South
Kalimantan. In West Sumatra, the Murba Party was fighting a lone
battle against Golkar's alleged money politics.

Reports of alleged serious breaches of electoral laws have
continued to flow in amid a steady stream of praise from foreign
observers for the landmark polls lauded as "free and fair". But
local observers have warned the praise may be premature.

A.M. Ridwan AR, deputy chief of the South Sulawesi provincial
elections committee, said on Thursday elections in the province
could be repeated if the allegations were verified.

"If the allegations are proven, there is no reason to refuse
the dissatisfied political parties' demand for a repeat of the
polls," he said.

Ridwan said that in Luwu and North Luwu complaints over
alleged irregularities were filed by 29 political parties,
including the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United
Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Moh. Askin, spokesman for the South Sulawesi PAN chapter,
claimed that Golkar and government officials in almost all
regencies had violated rules in an attempt to win the June 7
polls.

"We reject the polls, because in a PAN stronghold Golkar
officials and regents intimidated people so they would not vote
for PAN," he said.

He said Golkar officials were also involved in vote buying and
intimidation of KIPP and Rectors Forum poll watchers.

Another PAN activist, Kahar Mustari, said that in Bangkeng
Bongko village, a police sergeant fired three shots into the air
on the night of June 6 to remind people to choose Golkar. At
about the same time, village officials distributed rice to
residents.

Faisal Abdullah, deputy chairman of the South Sulawesi
elections committee said the polls could be repeated only in
places where vote buying was widespread.

In Southeast Sulawesi, 20 political parties have agreed to
reject the elections on the grounds that local government
officials used their authority to help the Golkar Party, which
commands an easy lead in the area.

In Central Sulawesi, 25 political parties have joined forces
demanding a repeat of the polls in Banggai regency, where they
alleged Golkar was involved in vote buying.

Spokesman for the parties, Baharuddin Tjatjo, said on Thursday
Golkar officials offered up to Rp 400,000 to mosques and Rp
200,000 to churches. He alleged that in some villages the
officials distributed money in envelopes with a message enclosed
which read: "My choice is No. 33 (Golkar)".

Chairman of Banggai Golkar chapter Djar'un Sibay denied the
party had bought votes. He said the money given to places of
worship were private donations from Murad Hussain, a local Golkar
executive and businessman. He said the alleged envelope vote
buying did not occur.

In Southeast Sulawesi, an alliance of 20 political parties
have agreed to refuse the validity of the polls in Muna regency.
They said government officials had worked hard to help Golkar win
the elections.

PDI Perjuangan, one of the 20 parties alleging poll
discrepancies in the area, also rejected the polls in Kendari
mayoralty and Buton and Kolaka.

Chairman of the Southeast Sulawesi PDI Perjuangan chapter La
Ode Sirat Imbo told Antara the June 7 elections were not free and
fair at all, because Golkar had engaged in money politics.

Officials of the 20 parties have agreed to reject the poll
result, but they were yet to decide on a plan of action, because
some of the group rejected the idea of seeking a repeat of the
voting process.

As its officials elsewhere do, a Golkar spokesman denied the
charges. Secretary of the local Golkar chapter La Ode Palaido
refuted the claims, saying no government agencies were involved
in illegal activities relating to the polls.

In South Kalimantan, 26 political parties in Hulusungai Utara
regency demanded the local election supervisory committee punish
Golkar for buying votes, saying they would otherwise reject the
polls.

Spokesman for the party Herry Novian said on Thursday a strong
warning which the committee had issued against Golkar Party was
"not enough".

The dispute originated several months before the elections,
after Golkar distributed pro-Golkar circulars to local village
officials throughout the regency.

Hulusungai Utara Regent Suhailin Muchtar fired five village
chiefs ahead of the elections, following the parties' demand that
Golkar be banned from the polls.

Local Golkar chief Anang Ardiansyah said the 26 parties'
demand for further action was "too much", because Golkar had
revoked the circulars as soon as it received the warning from the
election supervisory committee.

As of Thursday afternoon, the provisional vote tally showed
that Golkar was in second place with 26,957 votes, behind PPP
which had 37,088 votes. (30/38/27/pan)