Yeremia Sukoyo, Rizky Amelia & Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – Two of Indonesia's preeminent reform organizations have called for citizens to be vigilant against electoral fraud in the tallying of presidential voting returns.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said that the public needed to take up scrutinizing positions to oversee election committees and prevent tampering.

"The KPK sees the need for election committees along with the public to be cautious about the possibility of certain election officials engaging in corruption and collusion," Bambang said on Friday. Election officials may commit fraud for various reasons, he warned.

"There are risks that money politics could be used to influence election committee members," Bambang said. "There are indications of intimidation, conflicts of interest and money politics, all of which can lead to fraud and manipulation of the presidential election result," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) warned that electoral fraud is both a crime and an assault on the sovereignty of the people, and hence a violation of human rights.

"The votes which were cast on July 9 reflect the constitutional right of the people to exercise their democratic choice. We have to respect this right," Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said in Jakarta on Friday.

Therefore, Natalius said, it is the duty of the General Elections Commission (KPU) and Elections Supervisory Body to ensure that the process of vote tallying runs transparently, openly and is based on authentic polling station returns sheets (form C1).

The commissioner praised the smooth and peaceful conduct of the presidential election, which he attributed to cooperation between all elements of government and civil society, including the neutrality of the Indonesian Military and National Police in maintaining order and security.

Natalius said the Indonesian people are supervising the vote tallying process, which will be finalized by 22 July and called on the National Police to take firm action against any who attempt to tamper with the final result.

"Komnas HAM wants to remind everyone that the right to a vote is an irreplaceable human right," he said. "Let's respect this last phase of the presidential election. The president-elect and vice president-elect cannot be subverted by anyone."

Former KPU commissioner I Gusti Putu Artha proposed seven steps to prevent fraud during the vote tallying process.

"First of all, make sure that the polling station witness is holding C1, D1, DA1, DB1, and DC 1 forms that have integrally printed holograms, not stuck-on holograms on them," Putu Artha said in a press conference on Friday.

Secondly, I Gusti said, ensure scrutiny at every level prone to money politics. Third, take pictures or video documentation of the tally sheets at every level and compare them with scans posted online at http://pilpres2014.kpu.go.id/c1.php.

Fourth, look out for abuse of power by local officials who may attempt to influence village and ward chiefs to allocate votes to a certain candidate. Fifth, watch out for potential large-scale data manipulation in politically homogenous areas.

Sixth, continue to guard ballot boxes during their transport from polling stations at villages, onwards to wards, districts and provinces.

"Seventh, help security officers guard ballot boxes in locations where they are kept to prevent unauthorized people from accessing them until the Constitutional Court [issues a ruling on] any election disputes [PHPU]," I Gusti said.

"The people have to do this in order to ensure a transparent general election with integrity," the former KPU commissioner said.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/kpk-komnas-ham-urge-public-scrutinize-tally-process/