Indonesia Holds Simultaneous Regional Elections Peacefully

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia held simultaneous direct regional head elections in 101 regions across the country, covering the regions from the westernmost province of Aceh to the easternmost province of Papua on Wednesday, Feb 15, 2017.

The elections took place in seven provinces to elect governors and deputy governors, in 76 districts to elect district heads and deputy district heads, and in 18 municipalities to elect mayors and deputy mayors.

The seven provinces included Aceh, Bangka Belitung, DKI Jakarta, Banten, Gorontalo, Sulawesi Barat (West Sulawesi), and Papua Barat (West Papua).

The 76 districts covered Aceh Besar, Aceh Utara, Aceh Timur, Aceh Jaya, Bener Meriah, Pidie, Simeulue, Aceh Singkil, Bireun, Aceh Barat Daya, Aceh Tenggara, Gayo Lues, Aceh Barat, Nagan Raya, Aceh Tengah, and Aceh Tamiang (in Aceh Prinvice); Tapanuli Tengah (North Sumatera); Kepulauan Mentawai (West Sumatera); Kampar (Riau); Muaro Jambi, Sarolangun, and Tebo (Jambi); Musi Banyuasin (South Sumatera), Bengkulu Tengah (Bengkulu).

The other districts are Tulang Bawang Barat, Pringsewu, Mesuji, Lampung Barat, and Tulang Bawang (Lampung); Bekasi (West Java); Banjarnegara, Batang, Jepara, Pati, Cilacap, and Brebes (Central Java); Kulonprogo (EastJava); Buleleng (Bali); Flores Timur and Lembata (NTT); Landak (West Kalimantan); Barito Selatan and Kotawaringin Barat (Central Kalimantan); Hulu Sungai Utara and Barito Kuala (South Kalimantan); Banggai Kepulauan and Buol (Central Sulawesi).

The other districts included Bolaang Mongondow and Kepulauan Sangihe (North Sulawesi); Takalar (South Sulawesi); Bombana, Kolaka Utara, Buton, Boalemo, Muna Barat, Buton Tengah, and Buton Selatan (Southeast Sulawesi); Seram Bagian Barat, Buru, Maluku Tenggara Barat, and Maluku Tengah (Maluku); Pulau Morotai and Halmahera Tengah (North Maluku); Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Sarmi, Mappi, Tolikara, Kepulauan Yapen, Jayapura, Intan Jaya, Puncak Jaya, and Dogiyai (Papua); Tambrauw, Maybrat, and Sorong (West Papua).

In the meantime, elections were also held in 18 cities, including Banda Aceh, Lhokseumawe, Langsa, and Sabang (Aceh); Tebing Tinggi (North Sumatera); Payakumbuh (West Sumatera); Pekanbaru (Riau); Cimahi and Tasikmalaya (West Java); Salatiga (Central Java); Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Special Region); Batu (East Java); Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara); Singkawang (West Kalimantan); Kendari (South East Sulawesi); Ambon (Maluku); Jayapura (Papua); and Sorong (West Papua).

According to the General Election Commission (KPU), a total of 41.2 million people across the country were registered in the final voters list. Thus, under the 77.5 percent participant level target set by the KPU, at least 31.9 million of voters took part in the elections.

In Jakarta election, the elected candidate must win 50 percent plus one vote. The provision is stipulated in Law No. 29 Year 2007 on the Provincial Government of Jakarta Special Capital Region as the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia, in article 11, paragraph (1).

Three pairs of candidates are contesting the Jakarta gubernatorial election, namely incumbent governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, and vice governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat as his running mate; former education minister Anies Baswedan and businessman Sandiaga Uno as his running mate; and Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono pairing up with former Jakarta administration official Sylviana Murni.

Ahok was also the former head of Belitung District in Sumatra, while Djarot was the former mayor of Blitar in East Java.

The Anies-Sandiaga pair is supported by the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the Prosperous Justice Party; the Agus-Sylviana pair has the backing of the Democrat Party, the United Development Party, the Nation Awakening Party, and the National Mandate Party; and the Basuki-Djarot has the support of the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle, Golkar, the National Democrat Party, and the Peoples Conscience Party.

Regarding the provisional results of the Jakartas election, Ahok and Hidayat were in the lead when 97.6 percent of the votes had been counted here on Wednesday.

The pair received 45.13 percent of the votes, while their rivals Agus-Sylvi grabbed 16.71 percent and Anies-Sandi pair grabbed 40.16 percent of the votes, according to the Saiful Mujani Research Center.

Basuki-Djarot and Anies-Sandi pairs raced neck-to-neck during the vote counting until almost the end.

Moreover, the chairman of the Jakarta General Election Commission (KPU) Sumarno lauded the people of the city for their enthusiasm in participating in the gubernatorial election on Wednesday.

"I witnessed high enthusiasm among the people when I visited several polling stations," he stated at the KPU office.

Sumarno said he had noticed a long queue at a polling station in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, and in Matraman, East Jakarta.

However, Sumarno could not as yet ascertain the degree of public participation in the election. Nonetheless, he said that in general, the public participation had risen quite significantly.

The KPU had readied 7.2 million ballots, while the number of fixed voters was recorded at 7,108,589. Some 13,923 polling stations were set up for the election. 

Meanwhile, the Metro Jaya (Jakarta) Police Chief Inspector General M. Iriawan affirmed that there was no pressure for voting for a certain candidate during the elections.

"We did not notice any pressure on the field for voting for a particular candidate," Iriawan remarked on Wednesday.

He said the Metro Jaya police officers have consistently enforced the rules and processes of the law against individuals found forcing residents into choosing a particular candidate.

The Metro Jaya police officers were also supported by officials of the Kodam Jaya (Jakarta military) intelligence team to keep a close eye on any incidents of money politics and coercive actions against citizens who have the right to vote in the simultaneous regional heads elections across the country.

ANTARA