T

he Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has received 45 reports of legal violations, 25 of them categorized as vote-buying, in a number of cities and regencies across the country in the three-day quiet period leading up to voting day.

Bawaslu commissioner Daniel Zuchron said, however, that the reports were had yet to be verified. Daniel instructed his regional offices to find the evidence and keep an eye on the voting count process.

'€œThe reports can give us a clue about which areas will potentially violate the rules. We can strengthen the monitoring process in those areas,'€ Daniel said.

According to the reports, the '€œmoney politics'€ came in various forms, the most common of which was to distribute money ranging from Rp 20,000 (US$1.44) to Rp 200,000 by candidates in the early morning of election day.

In Sleman, Yogyakarta, Bawaslu received reports that a pair of candidates had distributed 1,621 lottery coupons for a car while electioneering in Boyolali, Central Java. The Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) reported that money had been inserted inside C6 forms [voting invitations].

Bawaslu also found that a number of candidates in seven cities and regencies, including Surabaya in East Java, had violated the law by holding campaigns during the quiet period. Some candidates distributing T-shirts and Christmas greeting cards containing campaign statements even though electioneering is forbidden for three days leading up to voting day.

In Bone Bolango regency, Gorontalo, the practices of vote buying and distributing Muslim dresses to entice voters were widespread, and even involved some village chiefs.

Vote-buying was recorded in North Bulango, Tapa, South Suwawa, Bone Pantai, None Raya and Kabila districts.

Bone Bolango Panwaslu head Yusuf said his committee had secured evidence in the form of cash amounting to millions of rupiah, a list of cash recipients and stickers from two candidate pairs.

In Jambi, Raihan, a Jambi city resident, was unable cast his vote despite carrying his identity card. He was turned away by Polling Station Working Committee (KPPS) workers.

'€œI did not receive an invitation letter. I also showed them my ID card to vote, but I was turned away. They said I must have an A5 letter,'€ said Raihan.

In Surakarta, Central Java, a number of polling stations in the city were short of ballot papers. Residents even threatened to file a lawsuit against the local KPUD because they believed that the KPUD had purposely taken away their constitutional rights as citizens.

Surakarta City KPUD commissioner on Elections Technical Implementation Pata Hindra Aryanto said that other polling stations were also likely short of ballot papers.

He said the KPUD was unable to replace the shortages because the remaining papers at the KPUD office had been destroyed.

In West Java, Panwaslu head Harminus Koto said his office had found dozens of voters who had used their ID cards to cast their votes in Karawang regency.

The KPUD allowed the use of ID cards for eligible voters as long as they cast their votes in their place of domicile. (foy)

Jon Afrizal from Jambi also contributed to the story