Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The rescheduling of the Aceh gubernational poll drew protests on Monday from those including incumbent governor Irwandi Yusuf, who is seeking his second term.
With uncertainty surrounding the poll, the Independent Election's Commission (KIP) Aceh announced officially during a plenary meeting on Monday that it would run on April 9, which was a delay of almost two months from initially scheduled Feb. 16.
"After thorough consideration and discussion with regencies' KIP heads across Aceh, we've decided that April 9, 2012 is the appropriate time to hold the poll," Yarwin Adidarma, an election commissioner, said.
The confirmed date was in accordance with the Constitutional Court's (MK) recommendation but still appeared to be unpopular.
A group of people claiming to be the Community Coalition for a Peaceful Poll, feared political tension as the consequences of the delay and warned the KIP to be responsible for possible conflicts and violence.
"We are not responsible for violence that might happen in the future as a result of the delayed poll," said Waladan Yoga, coordinator of the protesting group.
Before the announcement of the new date, the KIP had, on the recommendation of the MK, reopened registration for candidates in an apparent move to accommodate the Aceh Party.
However, the move has been perceived as a sign of the KIP's powerlessness amid the Aceh Party's threat of a boycott if the poll proceeded as scheduled.
Yoga said the postponement was an act of inefficiency and disadvantaged candidates who had registered their nomination before the registration reopening.
Irwandi, whose thrust to power was helped by the Aceh Party's win at the last election but who has now split with the party due to internal bickering, opposed the postponement.
"This absolutely disadvantages me. If delayed for one or two weeks, we might have accepted. It's longer than that and we can't accept it," said Irwandi, who is now joining the race as independent candidate. The postponement, according to Irwandi, will prompt him to dig deeper into his resources to finance the extended campaign.
The commission also announced that two of seven pairs for the gubernatorial poll were disqualified for administrative defects, while 12 of 138 pairs for regencies/municipalities' elections, which will be held simultaneously with the gubernatorial poll, failed to meet requirements.
Hendra Fadli-Yuli Zuardi and Fachrulsyah Mega-Zulfinar were judged as falling short of meeting the minimum votes required for independent candidates to join the gubernatorial poll. "The two pairs of candidates failed to submit proof of support as required," Nurjani Abdullah, another commissioner, said.
Independent candidates running for the poll without parties as their political vehicles must submit signatures amounting to at least 3 percent of the Aceh population, while support from at least 15 percent of seats at the legislative council is needed for candidates nominated by political parties. The KIP revealed the list of eligible voters for the poll at 3,227,586.