Claims by losing candidate Khofifah Indar Parawansa that the East Java gubernatorial election was marred by fraud received a boost on Friday after a witness admitted to taking a bribe to help governor-elect Soekarwo win the runoff vote.
Supriyadi, head of the poll committee in Karang Gayam village, testified at the Constitutional Court he was paid Rp 300,000 by the village chief to mark more than 200 ballot papers in favor of Soekarwo and his running mate Saifullah Yusuf.
"Village head Hafiz ordered me to perforate all the remaining ballots to give Soekarwo the win. At first I was uncertain, but he convinced me it was easy because I was the poll committee head," Supriyadi told the hearing presided over by judge Maruarar Siahaan.
Asked why he accepted the money, he said, "Rp 300,000 is a lot of money for me. I am the sole breadwinner; I have five children and I am only a farmer working on two rice paddies."
The vote count at that polling station gave Soekarwo 304 votes to Khofifah's 79. But only 170 voters turned up, Supriyadi said.
Khofifah and her running mate Mudjiono, nominated by the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) among others, challenged the results of the final tally, which went in favor of Soekarwo, who was backed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN).
The provincial General Elections Commission (KPUD) declared Soekarwo the winner with 7,729,944 votes, narrowly defeating Khofifah who secured 7,669,721 votes.
The official result contradicted the outcome of quick counts conducted by five prominent pollsters.
Friday's hearing saw witnesses from both camps take to the stand.
Witnesses testifying for Soekarwo, most of them polling station officials, said they received no complaints from supporters of either candidate during vote counting. They said monitors fielded by both candidates to check the voting and ballot counting had approved of the results.
"Everything was OK when we finished the tally. Witnesses from both candidates concurred, and there was no problem with the official vote counting," said Imam Sucahyo, polling station head in Pakis subdistrict, Banyuwangi regency.
Ahmad Subagyo, a poll committee member in Dagangan district, Madiun municipality, denied claims of vote rigging there.
Judge Maruarar asked both camps to submit their closing statements to the court on Tuesday, ahead of a verdict next week.
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