Spokesman of the provincial General Elections Commission (KPUD), Djidon de Haan, said the latest situation in East Flores was reported to Governor Frans Leburaya.

"If until Monday no campaign activities are undertaken then the election may be postponed," Djidon de Haan said in Kupang on Friday.

Several thousands of protesters previously blocked roads and swept hotels in search and to stop members of the national and provincial election bodies from conducting a plenary session to announce the list of contesting pairs of candidates.

The protest emerged following a decision made by the East Flores election body to redraw the numbers for the contesting candidates by accommodating Simon Hayon-Frans Diaz Alfi, who were previously disqualified due to incomplete administrative requirements.

At Larantuka, it was reported Friday that the protesters were occupying the East Flores legislative council building from Monday.

The protesters set ablaze photographs of General Elections Committee (KPU) member Andi Nur Pati and chairman of Commission III of the House of Representatives, Benny Kabur Harman. They accused the two for having a role in inciting chaos in the upcoming election in East Flores, scheduled for June 3.

Djidon de Haan said the provincial election commission would continue coordinating with the KPU and the East Flores KPUD to look for the right solution to the problem.

He said that according to the law on election, a regional election could be postponed due to natural disasters and chaos among others.

"The KPU is still looking for the right format *if the election is postponed*," Djidon said.

Djidon said it was the authority of the East Flores Police chief to declare the worsening security condition there and to report it through the local legislative council and the regent to the Home Affairs Ministry for a ministerial decision on the official postponing of the election.

Meanwhile, NTT Governor Frans Leburaya urged the KPU to understand the problem in East Flores to ensure the five-yearly democratic event runs smoothly according to the prevailing law.

Separately, East Flores Police chief Muhammad Syamsul Huda said that the security condition in the region was still conducive, but said that his office could not guarantee the planned plenary session would run smoothly.

"We cannot provide a guarantee as there are 30 political party leaders and their constituents who reject the KPU decision on the reinstatement of the *Simon-Frans* pair," Syamsul said.

He said the security personnel could not guard the plenary session fully armed as an election was supposed to be a people's party held in a peaceful condition and according to the prevailing law.

The spokesman of the East Flores KPUD, Kosmas Ladoangin, said the election body had not decided whether the election must run as scheduled or be postponed.

"We are coordinating with the national and provincial KPU," Kosmas said.

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