Election Materials Should Reach Districts Today

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU

Election materials for the farthest islands in South Sulawesi were distributed on Monday (8/4/2019). The first stage of the distribution was carried out for two districts in Pangkep regency, namely Liukang Tangngayya and Liukang Kalmas.

Materials for the 2019 presidential and legislative elections should arrive in districts today. Meanwhile, eligible voters who have not received the C6 form (invitation letter) as of Sunday can still ask for the form at polling station working committees (KPPS)

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Election materials such as ballot boxes, ballots, various forms, and ink are all expected to arrive at districts on Monday (today) so that they will be available at polling stations a day before voting on Wednesday.

The C6 forms or the invitation letter to vote should also have been distributed to voters. On Sunday, the KPPS in each polling station should have completed the distribution of the C6 forms to voters. However, if the voter has not received the form, they still have the opportunity to ask for the form from the KPPS before the undistributed forms are returned to the Subdistrict Polling Committee (PPS).

"If there are residents who have not received the C6 from the KPPS, they are still allowed to come to the polling station as long as they bring their electronic identity (e-ID) cards with them. So, the C6 forms should indeed be taken to a polling station if they have one. However, if they were not given one, it\'s fine. Voters can go to polling stations to vote, as long as they bring the e-ID cards,” said a member of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Ilham Saputra, in Jakarta on Sunday.

According to him, the details of the voting procedures have been conveyed by the KPU through technical guidance to KPPS. In addition, the KPU also prepared manual and video guidance for them to hold a vote. The general public can also see the guidelines through the KPU\'s website, https://kpu.go.id.

Material distribution

In a number of regions, it has been reported that the distribution of materials for the 2019 election has relatively run smoothly. Problems were found in a number of regions, but they were handled by the election organizers. In four regions in Central Sulawesi, which were hit by earthquakes, tsunamis and liquefaction six months ago, such as Sigi, Donggala, Parigi Moutong, and Palu city, materials have arrived at the district election committee (PPK) office. The logistics are expected to arrive at polling stations on Tuesday, at the latest.

Nova, 42, a displaced person in Petobo village, Palu city, said people residing in evacuee camps had received election familiarization regarding locations of polling stations to the types of ballots that have to be punched. "I will go to the polling station with my family," she said.

In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), most logistics have been distributed to remote locations in 22 districts or cities in NTT.

The replacement of the 808,459 damaged ballots were scheduled to arrive in the morning on Sunday. After that, ballots would be immediately distributed by land to a number of areas. "Once arrived, they will be immediately distributed to six regencies on the mainland of Timor by land, while those for 16 other districts would be flown by plane on Monday," said the chairman of KPU in NTT KPU, Thomas Dohu.

In Sumenep, East Java, all election logistics arrived at the subdistricts on Sunday. Some of them had been distributed to villages because their locations are far from the subdistrict office.

In Papua, it was also reported that there were no constraints in the distribution of electoral materials. Members of the Papua Elections Supervisory Agency, Jamaluddin, said his party had not found any serious problems related to material distribution to 28 regencies and a city in Papua. However, he hoped distribution in areas prone to weather disruption would be completed two days or a day before voting day at the latest.

Related to this, the chairman of KPU in Papua, Theodorus Kossay, said his side had anticipated two main factors that could disrupt voting on April 17. The two factors are in the form of weather conditions and security disturbances by armed criminal groups who are still hiding in a number of districts in Papua.

From the mapping of KPU Papua, there are nine districts in the mountainous region and four districts in coastal areas that are prone to bad weather that could affect the distribution of election materials. The areas include Bintang mountains, Yalimo, Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Yahukimo, Intan Jaya, Tolikara, Puncak, and Puncak Jaya. Four districts on the coast that are prone to high sea waves, namely the Yapen Islands, Waropen, Asmat, and Mimika. In the 2014 election, there were delays in legislative elections in 36 districts on Yahu Kimo.

This condition is due to the delay in the distribution of election materials due to bad weather. "We continue to oversee the distribution and coordinate with KPUs in districts that are prone to weather problems," Theodorus said.

In addition, security in logistics distribution, voting and vote recapitulation in seven regencies need to be improved. The regencies include Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Puncak, Puncak Jaya, Tolikara, Mimika and Mamberamo Tengah.

The head of public relations of the Papua Police, Commissioner AM Kamal, said national police together with the military (TNI) had assigned 15,000 personnel to anticipate the deployment of armed criminal groups during the distribution of election materials and vote counting.

Assisted by the military

According to Ilham, the eastern part of Indonesia received more attention because the distribution of election logistics in the area had not been as smooth as in other regions due to geographical constraints.

For this reason, the KPU has coordinated with the military. According to him, the regions that have not received all the required logistics include Papua, NTT, Maluku and North Maluku.

The KPU expects logistics shipments to arrive on Monday or two days before voting day. According to election regulation, all logistics must arrive at the polling station a day before voting day.

"All logistics are ready, waiting for distribution to the regions. For certain areas, we have requested assistance from the TNI. A letter to the commander in chief (TNI Commander) will be soon sent," Ilham said.

In addition to geographical constraints, damages to ballots, the logistics distribution in a number of areas eastern part of Indonesia has not been completed.

Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) secretary-general Kaka Suminta said in addition to remote areas, it also found a lack of logistics in a number of areas in Java. However, he ensured that the problem was not about the distribution, but rather about information on certain logistical needs for certain regions. He cited that an area had asked for a certain amount of seals but it was sent ballot envelopes instead.

The National Coordinator of the Voter Education Network for the People, Alwan Ola Riantoby, on the same day confirmed the findings of KIPP. He said there was still a lack of ballots in a number of locations. ( REK/INK/VDL/KOR/SYA)