Election trouble looms in South Tangerang

TANGERANG: The South Tangerang municipal administration's plan to set up a committee to select members of its own new regional elections commission (KPUD) in charge of administering the first-ever mayoral election in October has turned into a polemic.

"We, the *South Tangerang legislative* council, will recommend the existing Tangerang regency election commission hold the first mayoral election because there will not be enough time to form a new KPUD to hold the election scheduled on Oct. 11, 2010," Ruhamaben, South Tangerang council deputy speaker, said Friday.

South Tangerang municipality, which consists of seven districts including Ciputat, East Ciputat, Pamulang, Pondok Aren, Serpong, North Serpong and Setu, was a part of Tangerang regency until November 2008.

Ruhamaben said it would be too risky to form a new elections commission by June 22 because the move would probably delay the scheduled election in October. - JP