Wiranto wants recount in light of polling breaches
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.