INDONESIA'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS RUN PEACEFULLY, PDIP LIKELY TO LEAD by Fardah

     Jakarta, April 9, 2014 (Antara) - Indonesia's parliamentary elections, the largest and most complicated single-day poll in the world, were peaceful on Wednesday, as the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) took an early lead in the voting.

         More than 185.8 million voters spread across thousands of islands, which stretch some 4,800 km from east to west, were registered to vote in over than 545 thousand pooling stations during the elections, in the world's third largest democracy, following India and the United States.

         President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has already expressed his gratitude to the officials of the ongoing parliamentary elections for the peaceful election processes.

         "About half an hour ago, I received a report from the national police chief that the elections across the country ran peacefully, smoothly and in an orderly way. We should be grateful for this, and as the head of state and government, I convey my gratitude and appreciation to the election officials - KPU (General Election Commission), Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body) and security personnel, for having made the elections a success today," President Yudhoyono declared, after casting his vote in Gunung Putri sub-district, Bogor district, West Java, on Wednesday.

         The success of the 2014 general elections will take Indonesia a step closer to becoming a mature, democratic nation, particularly because the 2004 and 2009 general elections were also successful, according to the president.

         Yudhoyono also reminded the nation that the results of the parliamentary elections, whatever they might be, should be respected.     
    "The results should be respected, believing that everything runs honestly and fairly. We should accept and respect it. By doing that, we (can claim to) have advanced political values and cultures," the president pointed out.

         He noted that the quality of post-election campaign activities has, indeed, improved. 

        "We hope that political parties and legislative members could carry out their mandates. For those who are not elected, you should accept the results with open hearts, as there is still tomorrow to make improvements to be successful," he commented. 
    This year's parliamentary elections saw participation by 12 national political parties and three local parties in Aceh Province. The number of participating parties has fallen from 44 political parties in the 2009 elections.

         In this year's parliamentary elections, some 6,607 candidates were contesting for 560 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR).    
    In addition, there were elections held for the 132 seats of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) at the national level; 2,112 of the provincial parliamentary (DPRD I) seats; and 16,895 seats for the district/municipality -level legislative assemblies (DPRD II).

         Despite the peaceful and smooth process, some problems emerged during the just-concluded elections, including concerns about "money politics" reported in several regions, such as Riau, Madura and Southeast Sulawesi, and police have probed such violations.

         "The so-called pre-dawn attacks" were still rampant in various ways, despite the threat of criminal charges, according to officials at the Indonesia Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra).

         The Forum said it had found 35 cases, mainly involving  "money politics", prior to election day, involving legislative candidates in Riau. "Some of the cases have been reported to Bawaslu of Riau and to police," Riau Fitra coordinator  Usman said.

         In Southeast Sulawesi, police confiscated money in envelopes believed to be used to buy votes ahead of the legislative election in Konawe District, on the Wednesday polling day.

         The money, in 52 envelopes containing Rp20,000 (less than US$2) to Rp40,000 (less than US$4) each, were to be given to voters on Tuesday in exchange for their votes.

         Another problem faced during the elections was the postponement of elections in 40 remote sub-districts in Yahukimo, Nduga and Supiori districts in Papua province, because voting supplies failed to arrive due to bad weather.

         "The voting process will likely take place on Thursday or Friday, after the election supplies arrive in the municipal cities of the three districts,"  Betty Wanane, a member of the Papua election commission, said in Jayapura on Wednesday.

         In Jayapura district, also in Papua province, Indonesian security personnel and members of an illegal armed group were involved in a shootout in Skouw, near the Indonesian and Papua New Guinea (PNG) border, on Wednesday morning.

         The incident forced Jayapura election officers to move two polling stations from Mosso and Skouw, to safer locations.

         "By relocating the two polling stations, we hope the eligible voters there will be more enthusiastic about casting their votes," the committee's member, Nurhijah, said.

         In Jakarta and suburban areas, leaders of 12 political parties participating in the Indonesian general elections cast their votes at different polling stations.

         Among the noted politicians were Chairman of National Democrat (Nasdem) party Surya Paloh, who cast his vote at a polling station near his home at Komplek Aneka Tambang, South Jakarta.

         "I wish for an honest and transparent election. I am optimistic that Nasdem party will receive high numbers of votes," Surya said.

         Presidential candidate from Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Joko Widodo cast his vote in a polling station near his home at Menteng sub district, Central Jakarta.

         Jokowi, the current Jakarta governor, expressed his optimism that his party will see a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections.

         "I am very confident that my party will have a landslide victory. My party will receive the majority of votes," Jokowi declared, after casting his vote at Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday.

         PDIP Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri cast her vote at a poling station in Kebagusan area, South Jakarta, and was accompanied by Jokowi and her children, including Puan Maharani.

         Meanwhile, Chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Let Gen (ret) Prabowo Subianto, cast his vote in a polling station near his home in Bojong Koneng village, West Java province. 
     Subianto expressed his optimism that his party would win 20 percent of the national votes in the legislative elections.  "We already have a party mechanism. In the 2009 elections we did not have one, so our votes were small. Now, the party has a strong mechanism so that we have the target to win 20 percent of the votes to nominate the presidential candidate," he said.

         Optimism was also voiced by chairman of Golkar party, as well as presidential candidate Aburizal Bakrie, predicting that his party would gain 25 percent of the nation's votes.

         Another presidential candidate from Democratic Party (DP), Gen (ret) Pramono Edhie, cast his vote at a polling station in Nanggrak village, West Java province.

         "Today is my first time casting a vote in the election. I hope my action today will contribute positively to Indonesia," said the former Army Chief and brother to First Lady Ani Yudhoyono.

         Presidential candidate of People's Conscience Party (Hanura), General (retired) Wiranto, recalled that general elections are not a war, but a democratic contest to choose candidates with integrity, competency and capability to develop the country.

         "This is not a war. This is a contest held every five years to give the right to eligible voters to choose candidates as their future leaders. So, there should be fairness, peace, mutual respect, and regulations," Wiranto noted after casting his vote in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

         Because elections are a democratic contest, the participating candidates and parties must be ready to accept the results, and even if they lose the election, they should not fight with each other, according to the retired general.

         Indonesia will hold presidential elections on July 9, with a run-off election in September, if no presidential candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the vote.

         A party or a coalition of parties can only field a presidential candidate if they garner 20 percent of the seats in the lower house, or 25 percent of the national vote.

         In the 2009 parliamentary election, the Democratic Party (PD) won 20.85 percent of the total votes, Golkar Party 14.45 percent, PDIP 14.03 percent, the Justice and Prosperous Party (PKS) 7.88 percent and the National Mandate Party (PAN) won 6.01 percent.

         Official results of the parliamentary elections are to be announced on  May 7 and 9, 2014. Unofficial tallies, or the quick count, however, showed that PDIP is in first place with 19-20 percent of the nation's votes, followed by Golkar (14-15 percent), and Gerindra (11-12 percent), and the ruling Democratic party (9-10 percent). ***1***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 09-04-2014 23:44:41