TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairman of the Indonesian Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), Rahmat Bagja, on Wednesday recommended re-voting at all polling stations (TPS) affected by flooding.

He stated that the recommendation was made to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant incidents, such as election ballot papers being damaged or lost.

"Usually, there will be a re-voting as an anticipatory step," he said.

According to Bagja, flood disasters are natural phenomena that are difficult to predict, but Bawaslu and the General Elections Commission (KPU) have conducted mapping of the election vulnerability index.

"Re-voting cannot be conducted on the same day," he remarked.

He acknowledged that Bawaslu received recommendation information from its office in South Tangerang City regarding several polling stations (TPS) that had to conduct re-voting, such as in the Puri Bintaro Indah area, because of flooding.

However, the flood waters had receded by midday.

"Thankfully, it has subsided. People are now arriving at the TPS," Bagja remarked.

Earlier, several TPS in the South Tangerang area were affected by the flood disaster due to heavy rains on Wednesday morning.

South Tangerang Mayor Benyamin Davnie immediately headed to the flooded TPS in his area.

"I received reports that 16 TPS in the Pondok Aren area need to postpone voting," Davnie revealed.

He noted that waters from a river near residential areas had caused the inundation.

"In addition, I also asked for repairs (to be conducted) to the foundations of the embankment because there are concerns about water seepage," he noted.

The South Tangerang city government had deployed officers from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) and several pumping equipment to draw the floodwaters.

Indonesia held the general elections on Wednesday, February 14, with around 204.8 million voters expected to elect a president and vice president, as well as members of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) at the province, city, and district levels.

ANTARA

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