Wiranto wants recount in light of polling breaches

Kurniawan Hari and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Jakarta/Bandung

The recent prediction of Constitutional Court president Jimly Asshiddiqie that the losers of the presidential election would dispute the final tally, looked like it would become a reality on Thursday, when the pairing of Wiranto-Solahuddin Wahid said the high number of electoral violations that had occurred made a recount essential.

The Constitutional Court has the authority to settle electoral disputes.

Wiranto, who is former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief, said while, at a glance, the election seemed to have been orderly, well-orchestrated and peaceful, "In fact, violations had occurred in nearly all regions."

Until Thursday, the pair was ranked third among five pairs, after Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla, and Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi. Amien Rais-Siswono Yudohusodo secured fourth position, while Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar were left to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

Amien's team has voiced similar complaints to Wiranto's. Meanwhile, both Susilo and Megawati seem fairly satisfied with the results as they look likely to contest the Sept. 20 runoff.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) is scheduled to announce the election results on July 26.

"There is a possibility that mistakes were made in counting the votes -- intentionally or otherwise," said Wiranto.

Wiranto's team named 15 flaws in the management of the election, including, among other things, the issuance of the KPU circular, erroneous voter registration, money politics, intimidation, veiled campaigns during the cooling-off period, the low quality of the ink, and manipulation during vote counting.

"Therefore, we urge the KPU to revoke its circular and recount the votes," campaign team chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf said on Thursday.

Slamet was referring to a KPU circular, SE KPU No.1151/15/VII/2004, which declares valid ballot papers that show a double puncture.

The KPU issued the circular on July 5, shortly after realizing that "double-puncture" ballots were found at almost all polling stations.

Most election and legal observers, however, praised the circular because the double-puncture debacle seemed to have little impact on the outcome of the election.

Meanwhile, KPU member Valina Singka Subekti said the commission had never accepted complaints from the presidential candidates, nor their campaign team.

"The KPU will welcome any complaints if they are accompanied by the relevant documents," Valina told The Jakarta Post last night.

Explaining the vote-counting process, Valina said the commission expected to receive manual records of vote counting from all 32 provinces no later than Friday.

She added that the commission would open the "envelopes" from all 32 provinces on Saturday at a ceremony witnessed by election observers, representatives of political parties, and the public.