Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The North Sumatra KPUD was scene to a wave of protests Wednesday, with demonstrators demanding it immediately halt ballot counting a day prior to the planned announcement of winners in the province's gubernatorial election.
The protesters also demanded the province's General Election Commission (KPUD) immediately hold a repeat election, saying many people had not been registered and failed to exercise their voting rights.
A protest coordinator from the North Sumatra Election Awareness Forum, Togar Hutabarat, said the KPUD should stop the vote count due to indications of election fraud. His group had found cheating to be widespread, especially on voting day, he added.
"We found people casting their votes three times during the election on April 16. It was very easy to cheat because the ink used to stain fingers after voting could be easily wiped off," said Togar at the KPUD in Medan.
He said such incidents had tarnished the North Sumatra gubernatorial election. He urged the KPUD to stop the vote count because the ballot papers did not accurately represent the voting public.
Leader of the Islamic Youth Movement, Irfandi, who participated in the rally, said the KPUD should hold a repeat election lest the elected governor be deemed illegitimate.
Irfandi said the KPUD should be held responsible for not being able to encourage people to vote. "The KPUD has failed to carry out its duties. It should hold a repeat election so people who failed to cast their votes on April 16 can have another chance to do so," said Irfandi.
Another protester, Anggiat Hutagaol, said non-voters were found virtually in every regency and city in the province, a majority of whom were in West Pakpak (60 percent), followed by Medan city (57 percent), Karo regency (50 percent), Pematang Siantar city (44 percent) and Sibolga city (40 percent).
"The percentage of those who did not cast their votes is significantly high. The KPUD cannot take it lightly because it concerns people's legal rights," said Anggiat.
KPUD member Tonni Situmorang said the vote count for the regency and city levels had been completed as of Wednesday, thus the office could not meet protesters' demand to halt the count.
"The KPUD finished counting votes for all regencies and cities today. As many as 22 of them have sent in their official reports, while the remaining reports from four regions – North Tapanuli, Sibolga, Nias and South Nias – are on their way here," Situmorang told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Situmorang said his office would tally the results to determine the governor-elect. "The KPUD will tally the votes and ascertain the winners on Thursday. No one can prevent us from performing our duties tomorrow," said Situmorang, adding that there was no legal basis for the KPUD to hold a repeat election.
Police reported they would deploy at least 300 personnel and two armored vehicles at the KPUD office in anticipation of possible incidents during the announcement of the elected gubernatorial pair.