TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called for the evaluation of the simultaneous 2019 presidential and legislative elections which have claimed the lives of 31 polling station officers.

"MUI suggests that the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) review and evaluate the simultaneous presidential and legislative elections held on the same day," MUI Deputy Chairman Zainut Tauhid Saadi in Jakarta on Sunday.

The evaluation is important not only because the many polling station officers who died from exhaustion but also because the people need preparations to exercise their rights to vote, he said.

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The evaluation is needed to respond to public complaints about many ballot papers which were damaged and were not punched due to many ballot papers they received, he said .

"MUI once again calls on all sides to maintain the safe and conducive situation and stay away from any form of provocation and hate speech that may have the potential to tear religious adherents, nation and state apart," he said.

He said the April 17, 2019 general elections ran in a smooth, peaceful and controllable way.

"Not less than 31 polling station officers died. The number may increase because not all cases have been reported," he said.

They died while performing state duties to carry out general elections, he said.

"The matter has certainly saddened all of us," he said.

MUI offered the deepest condolences over the death of the polling station officers, he said.

ANTARA