Indonesia ends re-election in KL with 75pct lower turnout

The re-election held for Indonesian overseas voters registered in Kuala Lumpur and surrounding states under the jurisdiction of its main embassy here concluded with an estimated turnout of around 6,000 voters.

The voters’ turnout at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, from 8am to 6pm today, was a 75 percent drop compared to the 24,377 who were recorded by Indonesia’s General Election Commission (KPU) to have voted for the first time on Feb 11.

Counting of the ballots started at around 7pm at the polling stations, conducted by officials from the overseas’ voting organising committee and witnessed by representatives from political parties.

Following KPU’s declaration for a re-election, an audit of the registration list saw the number of eligible voters reduced from 447,258 names to 62,217 names - 42,372 at 22 polling stations in WTC today and 19,485 mobile ballot voters.

Factors that contributed to the significantly reduced numbers, according to election observers on the ground, included the Home Ministry’s Repatriation Programme launched on March 1 which allowed undocumented migrants here to return to their home countries without facing immigration-related charges.

"We have 1,487 ballot papers for the legislative election and 1,486 ballot papers for the presidential election, but only 256 voters showed up to vote.

“Another polling station had around 2,000 ballot papers but only over 100 voters,” said a counting officer who is unauthorised to be quoted.

Discrepancies

Indonesia’s electoral roll is divided into three categories - a verified list of voters with a permanent registered address; a supplementary list for voters who moved from their registered addresses; and a special list of “unregistered” voters with valid identification documents.

The re-election today was held over various discrepancies detected surrounding the electoral rolls, as well as the postal ballots and mobile ballot boxes.

Among voters today include the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, who cast his ballot at around 3.30pm.

Malaysiakini understands Hermono’s name, previously on the verified list, was today included with the “unregistered” voters, raising questions surrounding the initial audit conducted.

Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono

Aside from voting at WTC KL, 120 mobile ballot boxes circulated in areas across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak, Kelantan and Terengganu - areas under the jurisdiction of its main embassy - also saw significantly lower turnouts, according to sources.

Aside from the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, on Feb 11, the voting was also carried out at the Indonesian Consular-General in Johor, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak, and there was no dispute over the process.

Indonesia held its joint presidential and legislative elections on Feb 14 with the immediate release of “quick count” results.

Results from the re-election today must be tallied before KPU’s official announcement of the overall results on March 20. - Mkini