Unclear regulations have hampered efforts by the West Java General Elections Commission (KPUD) to disseminate information on voting procedures ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for April.

West Java KPUD chairman Ferry Kurnia Rizkiansyah said the relatively little time remaining would likely reduce the number of valid ballots on polling day, especially as a plethora of political parties and legislative candidates had registered to contest the elections.

"We have yet to have access to the Rp 8.4 billion (US$763,000) election fund stipulated in the West Java provincial budget, Rp 4.5 billion of which is for (information) dissemination," he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

"The central government has yet to provide a legal umbrella allowing regional administrations to provide election funding."

Ferry said his office was awaiting legal authorization to access the money.

"We have yet to be granted such a regulation, and we cannot use funds from the state budget because it does not detail project lists or DIPA," he said.

"I am still in the dark on how much election money has been allocated by the central government for West Java."

Ferry said the KPUD's efforts to disseminate information had also been complicated by changing regulations.

"Initially, candidates on top of their parties' lists would get the seats but then the regulation was changed so that candidates who garner the most votes will get the seats," he said.

"There is also a heated debate about where a mark should be made *on a ballot* to indicate candidate selection."

In past elections, voters have indicated choice by punching a hole in their ballot, but this year they will use a writing instrument to check a box to select a candidate.

West Java is home to 42 million people, including 29 million eligible voters, the most in any province in Indonesia.

The legislative elections, which are scheduled for April 9, will decide seats at the House of Representatives, the Regional Representatives Council, and regional legislative councils in provinces, regencies and mayoralties.

The presidential election is scheduled for July.

Ferry said his office would intensify efforts to inform voters about the proper procedures.

"We are planning for 60 percent of our dissemination efforts to involve simulations in districts," he said.

"The remainder will be advertisements placed in print and electronic media."

West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan said his administration had not been given guidance by the central government on how to disburse the provincial budget to the KPUD.

"I am afraid that there will be many failed votes, thus reducing the total *valid* vote count," he said.

"Simulations organized by the Golkar Party and the Justice Prosperous Party (PKS) *revealed* almost 80 percent of voters did not vote properly."

Ahmad said he had in December questioned the central government about the use of the provincial budget for the general election but had received no answer. He added he was concerned by the confusion among voters given the shortage of time until the elections.

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