No cell phones allowed inside polling booths: KPU
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Jakarta | Tue, July 10 2012, 5:30 PM
The Independent Elections Monitoring Committee (KIPP) has asked the Jakarta Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) to bar voters from bringing cell phones into ballot booths in the Jakarta gubernatorial election, which will take place on Wednesday.
KIPP chief Wahyu Dinata said hand phones equipped with cameras could be use as a tool to buy votes.
“The latest cheating trick is people using camera phones to take a picture of their choice,” he said during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Dinata said those people would trade the photo in exchange for money from the concerned candidates.
Moreover, the KIPP is cautious over possible attempt to damage ballot papers, which has occurred in previous elections.
“Damaging ballot papers is aimed to stir arguments over the vote results.”
Another possible illegal attempt, Dinata said, was to change ballot papers in the box before it reached the KPU Jakarta.
To ensure the election’s fairness, KIPP will deploy 300 volunteers to supervise 5,000 polling stations across the city. (yps)
