Going to the polls, Bali style

Thu, 07/10/2008 10:14 AM  |  Surfing Bali

(JP/I Wayan Juniartha)

People of banjar (traditional neighborhood organization) Kangin, Panjer in Denpasar cast their votes Wednesday in the island's first direct gubernatorial election.

Many voters arrived at the polling stations wearing traditional Balinese attire.

The village is home to 536 eligible voters who were allocated two polling stations. The village election committee opened the poll stations precisely at 7 a.m. and closed them at 1 p.m.

Anak Agung Ngurah Hari Aryana, one of the village polling station officers, said there were no indications of violence during the balloting process.

Traditional attire was also worn by people from banjar Grenceng, around fifteen minutes drive north from Puputan Badung square.

Cakya Wisantika, a local resident, said it was a rare opportunity for villagers to meet their fellow neighbors in a leisurely atmosphere.

"It seems like a little reunion for us here," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Most Balinese wore traditional attire while casting their votes to comply with a suggestion made by the General Election Commission (KPUD). The KPUD chairman, A.A Wisnumurti, said earlier that wearing traditional attire could psychologically help people avoid unnecessary conflict during the election process.

"Because traditional attire is usually worn during religious or cultural events, therefore we hope that by wearing (traditional attire) it would be a good influence on people. They should think twice before starting something bad while wearing that kind of attire," he said.

As many as 2,631,754 eligible voters in Bali cast their votes at 5,683 polling stations across the island in Wednesday's election.

Three pairs of candidates competed in the election -- I Made Mangku Pastika and running mate Anak Agung Ngurah Puspayoga, team I Gede Winasa-Gusti Bagus Alit Putera and team Cokorda Budi Suryawan-I Nyoman Gede Suweta.

Up to Wednesday evening, two independent quick counts, one by Lingkaran Survei Indonesia and the other by Lembaga Survei Indonesia, placed Pastika-Puspayoga as the winning pair in the race. The pair was endorsed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the largest political power on the island. -- JP/Dicky Christanto

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