Voter registration begins at Mega's house

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Voter registration for the 2004 general election and the national census kicked off on Tuesday amid concerns over the limited time the National Elections Commission (KPU) has to prepare for the event, which is held once every five years.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno and Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) chairman Soedarto Soerbakti arrived at President Megawati Soekarnoputri's residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta on Tuesday morning to register the members of the first family.

Before registration got under way, first man Taufik Kiemas asked if their Kebagusan, South Jakarta, identification cards would be acceptable, to which the minister said yes.

Taufik also told registration officials that he was the head of the family and "not Madam President". Megawati, who apparently did not expect Taufik's remark, only smiled.

Registered with Taufik and Megawati was their daughter Puan Maharani and her husband.

Also on Tuesday morning, registration officials stopped by Hamzah Haz's residence on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, to register the Vice President and the members of his family.

People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso were also registered on Tuesday.

Similar activities also took place across the country on Tuesday, the first day of a 30-day registration period for the 2004 election, when Indonesia will hold its first ever direct presidential election.

In the provinces, the first day of registration was marked by the registration of the governors.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin said on Tuesday that at least 130 million people out of the country's population of 215 million were eligible to vote in the 2004 elections.

KPU has enlisted the services of BPS as the results of the registration will be used not only for election purposes but also for producing a single population database to be used for all kinds of demographic needs.

Nazaruddin said security personnel and independence fighters in both Aceh and Papua would also be registered as they were legitimate citizens who had the right to cast their vote in the 2004 elections.

Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Soetarto said earlier that TNI personnel would not exercise their right to vote in the 2004 elections to avoid friction among security personnel over their political leanings.

However, Nazaruddin said all citizens, including TNI members, would be registered regardless of whether they exercise their right to vote or not.

Meanwhile, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti expressed doubt on Tuesday that all eligible voters would be registered by April 30, due to several challenges.

"We hope to finish the registration by the end of April, but that seems impossible," Ramlan told the official Antara news agency.

He said registration officials would have a hard time registering eligible voters living in slums or under bridges and overpasses. He also said it would be difficult registering voters who live in condominiums and apartments as well as in conflict- torn areas.

"Registering those living in condominiums or under bridges is equally challenging as they are difficult to find," he said.

Meanwhile, Agus Suherman, chief of the voter registration process at the BPS, told the The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that his office would meet the deadline for the nationwide census and voter registration.

"We have conducted a similar activity in the past, like the nationwide census in 2000, where we also did it in 30 days. We are confident that the census and voter registration process for the upcoming elections will be finished before April 30," Agus said.

He explained that the BPS had deployed more than 230,000 field workers nationwide for the census and voter registration.

"Each field worker is responsible for registering eight to 10 households, comprising about 40 to 60 people," he said.

Eligible voters who miss the April 1 to April 30 registration period can still register from mid-October until November 2003.

Ramlan said the complete list of voters would be ready by November 2003, but would not be announced until December.

To register, residents are required to show a family identity card, a birth certificate, a marriage certificate or any other document that can help prove their identity.

The KPU has set April 5, 2004 as the date for the legislative election, while the two-phase direct presidential election is scheduled to run between June and August 2004.

The tight schedule has raised concerns over KPU's ability to organize a fair election in 2004.