The Provincial Elections Commission (KPUD) of East Nusa Tenggara has set up an honorary council to decide on disciplinary action against the chairman and members of its subordinate East Flores body, following the latter’s rejection to reinstate previously disqualified candidates, Simon Hayon and Fransiskus Diaz Alffi.

Johanis Depa of the KPUD said in Kupang on Tuesday they would hold a meeting Wednesday to decide their subordinates’ fate.

“The meeting will consist of three members, two from the KPUD, while the third is an independent academic,” he said, adding the establishment of the honorary council had been consulted with the central KPU in Jakarta.

He said the council’s task would be automatically over once the East Flores KPUD was willing to implement the central KPU’s letter ordering it to review the list of the election candidates and reinstate Simon and running mate Diaz.

“Otherwise, the honorary council will continue its task,” Johanis said.

Simon and Fransiskus Diaz were disqualified from the electoral roll  for administrative reasons before the central and provincial bodies of the KPU ruled they be allowed to contest the election.

The ordinate instructions have been criticized for intervening in local affairs, with local residents taking to the streets in protest and sabotaging the planned drawing of numbers for the candidates, which has caused the elections to be suspended indefinitely.

Djidon de Haan, the spokesperson of the KPUD, said the honorary council did have options, including the dismissal and replacement of the chairman and members of the East Flores election commission, and the takeover of the regency election by the KPUD.

The chairman of  the East Flores KPUD Bernadus Boro Tupen, however, refuted the decision to
establish the honorary council, saying the central and KPUD had previously agreed to provide an explanation on the postponement of the election, a review of the list of qualified candidates and a redraw of the numbers for the contending candidates.

“The explanation has yet to be given and now they are suddenly announcing the establishment of an honorary council. The question is, what’s up with the central and KPUD? Why are they intervening so much in the election process in East Flores?” Bernadus said.

In the leadup to regional elections in Medan, the second round of mayoral elections is marred with sectarian rivalry.

Banners displaying messages to vote for candidates of the same faith have been placed in several public locations.

On Tuesday, dozens of students grouped under the Alliance of Muslim Students and Youth of Medan staged a rally on Jl. Gatot Subroto, calling on Muslims to support candidates of the same faith.

Spokesperson Ahmad Manullang deflected the accusations, saying the rally was not intended to support any particular candidate.

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