The extra 116,583 sheets are believed by critics to be used by the KPUD and particular groups to help a particular candidate win the mayoral poll.

The poll, scheduled for June 30, is expected to draw 627,954 eligible voters. In accordance with election rules, the KPUD can print an extra 2.5 percent more ballot papers, or 15,699 sheets in this case.

This means the KPUD should have printed 643,653 ballot papers. However, it printed 760,236 sheets, 17 percent more than the total number of voters.

A special team made up of members of the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwas), police and prosecutor’s office, has also been tasked with looking into the case.

Bandarlampung Police detective unit chief Comr. Ardian Indra Nurinta said if the investigation proved the presence of intent and crime, the police would process it according to the law.

“We will be proactive in the investigation, especially as Panwas has reported the case to the police,” Nurinta said Tuesday.

He added police had confiscated thousands of ballot papers as evidence.

Bandarlampung Panwas member Riyuzen Tuala said his office noticed a number of irregularities in the past several months ahead of the mayoral election, such as the KPUD’s refusal to provide a fixed voter list for each subdistrict and the sudden reorganizing of polling stations.

Riyuzen said voter turnout in the legislative, gubernatorial and mayoral elections in Bandarlampung in 2005 was only 65 percent.

“So if the voter turnout later reaches 70 percent, or 439,567 ballots, the extra 116,583 votes would be enough to secure a win for a candidate in only one round, providing only one candidate obtains more than 25 percent of the vote,” he said.

In April this year, the Bandarlampung KPUD rejected Panwas’ request to provide a fixed voter list for each subdistrict, saying it was not required to do so. It only provided the total number of voters.

Riyuzen said he suspected the Bandarlampung KPUD had intentionally withheld the data because it was plotting to push a particular candidate to victory.

Bandarlampung KPUD head As’ad Muzamil said his office acted negligently in printing excess ballot papers, adding that five KPUD commissioners failed to focus on the number of ballot papers being printed.

“We were focused more on validating ballots. We never imagined it would happen. To prevent controversy, we will destroy the extra ballot papers,” As’ad said.

Strategic and Policy Studies Center director Aryanto said the excuse by the KPUD head was irrational. He said the ballot papers should have been printed based on the fixed voter list and not based on potential turnout data.

Popular

BI surprises with third consecutive rate cut as Fed move looms

Explainer: Social media as town square, battleground in Indonesia’s protests

Taiwan raises alert over cancer-causing chemical in Indomie