Woman outwits police, turns poll simulation into comedy

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A poll simulation held by the Jakarta Police in front of their headquarters on Wednesday to test their security preparedness for the upcoming elections degenerated into a farce when a lone woman managed to disturb the proceedings, much to the consternation of the surrounding officers.

The poll simulation was meant to prepare officers for possible disturbances that could arise during the polling, with a policewoman reading out different scenarios for the officers to play out.

However, the situation began to deteriorate when an unidentified woman, who initially was watching the event with a crowd of people several meters away, joined a group of policemen playing voters waiting to enter the mock polling station.

Clearly caught off guard by this unexpected disruption, none of the officers were able to stop the woman from joining their simulation.

When the scenario required people to begin shouting to disturb the voting process, the woman enthusiastically joined in, raising her right arm, yelling incoherently and running toward the "election committee members".

The woman, along with a policeman who appointed to take part in the simulation as a protester, was eventually dragged from the area by two policemen, who each took one of the woman's arms.

A police patrol car then arrived to take away the "protester". However, when the officers attempted to get the woman into the car, her hearty cries convinced them to allow her to stay.

The poll simulation proceeded peacefully for several minutes before the woman snuck back into the area, took a seat in the mock polling station and began blowing kisses to the audience, which was much amused by these antics.

When the poll guards carried the ballot boxes away from the polling station, the woman grabbed one of the boxes and began playing the role of a guard. By this time, the officers had given up and allowed the woman to carry the box.

The woman claimed that her husband was a member of the Jakarta Police's elite Mobile Brigade, but she was unable to remember his full name or his division.

Once the simulation was over, the woman, apparently satisfied that she had done her part to help the police prepare for any possible disturbances during the upcoming polls, went on her way.