News

Islam-based parties to be salable in presidential election: Observer

Apr 11 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Islam-based political parties did not win many votes in the recent parliamentary election, but will be in demand as major parties had to seek a political coalition to nominate presidential candidates, a political observer said.

The so-called nationalist and secular parties, such as the PDIP, the Golkar, and the Gerindra, need to coalesce with Islam-based parties in the next presidential election, Shohibul Anshor, a political expert from North Sumatra, said here on Friday. 

El partido opositor gana las elecciones legislativas en Indonesia, según los datos preliminares

Apr 10 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
RTVE

Los primeros resultados de las elecciones legislativas en Indonesia dan como vencedor al principal partido opositor, el Partido Democrático Indonesio de Lucha (PDI-P).

Según las estimaciones, el PDI- P ha ganado los comicios con el 20% de los votos. Sin embargo, la victoria se ha visto teñida por la decepción se sus seguidores, debido a que las últimas encuestas otorgaban al partido más de 25% de los votos .

Indonesians Start Voting in Legislative Elections, a Key Factor in July’s Presidential Race

Apr 09 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Indonesians go to the polls today, picking legislators in what is seen as a decisive factor in selecting candidates for the presidential election in July.

About 190 million eligible voters across the nation will decide the fate of around 6,000 candidates vying for 560 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) and 133 seats in the Regional Consultative Council (DPD). An additional 230,000 hopefuls are also running for local government positions in the world’s third-largest democracy.

Indonesians flock to polling stations

Apr 09 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesians living in eastern parts of the country have flocked to polling stations in their respective areas on Wednesday morning to cast their votes for parliamentary election.

They are part of more than 187.8 million Indonesians whose names have been registered in the final voter list. In Biak Numfor District, Papua Province, for instance, voters have come to the voting booths since 07.30 am local time.

Papua province to postpone vote casting in 35 subdistricts

Apr 09 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Papua provincial district of Yahukimo should postpone vote casting in 35 subdistricts from the earlier schedule of April 9, because ballots had not arrived at the locations, the General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner said.

"Ballot papers cannot be sent to areas in Yahukimo District due to bad weather. Cargo airplane had started flying there, but bad weather had forced the airplane to return to the capital of Yahukimo District," the KPU commissioner, Hadar Nafis Gumay, said here on Tuesday night.

Thousands deployed for quick counts

Apr 08 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The public can expect numerous “accurate” early vote count results on Wednesday as pollsters gear up to deploy thousands of volunteers and workers at polling stations, thanks to an intensified race in the polling industry.

Indikator Politik Indonesia, for example, claims it will reveal accurate political party electability rates in Wednesday’s legislative election as early as 11 a.m., or two hours before polling closes at 1 p.m.

With a year to go race already on for next leader of Golkar

Apr 08 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Although the tenure of Aburizal Bakrie is not due to expire until next year, prominent Golkar Party politicians have made a head start in the race for the party chairmanship.

Senior Golkar politician and current Industry Minister, MS Hidayat, announced on Monday that he would run as a candidate for the party leadership during the party’s congress, scheduled for early next year.

Hidayat said that he had asked for permission to contest the race from Aburizal. “I’ve asked for the [chairman’s] permission to go forward,” said Hidayat, as quoted by tribunnews.com, on Monday.

Court delays verdict for PDI-P politician, again

Apr 08 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Jakarta Corruption Court once again delayed on Monday the reading of final verdict of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Izedrik Emir Moeis due to his ill-health.

The court first postponed the reading of the verdict last Thursday after Emir was rushed to hospital due to a heart problem.

“The reading of the verdict has been rescheduled to April 14,” presiding judge Matheus Samiaji said on Monday.

Emir was on trial for his alleged role in a bribery case involving a US subsidiary of France-based conglomerate Alstom.

Police look for extra funding to secure election

Apr 07 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

National Police chief Gen. Sutarman says the Rp 1.6 trillion (US$141 million) funds they have already received are sufficient to provide security for the first round of the 2014 presidential election.

“The funds can cover security needs only up to the first round of the presidential election. There is not enough to cover a second round,” he said during a meeting at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by tempo.co.

KPU expects material delivery to be completed today

Apr 07 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The General Elections Commission (KPU) says that despite there being only two days before the polls, a number of regencies and municipalities have yet to receive the required election materials.

“Less than one percent of the material have not arrived [at KPU local offices], we are only talking in the hundreds,” KPU commissioner Sigit Pamungkas said in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.

He said the missing materials included ballot paper, forms, holograms and ink.

Sigit said the ballot papers were currently in transit: “So, they will arrive today.”

Jokowi urged to step down

Apr 07 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Gerindra Party has demanded that Joko “Jokowi” Widodo immediately step down as the Jakarta governor.

“All this time, Pak Jokowi has been very busy handling election campaign activities. Policy implementation has continued to run, but it has been sluggish whereas in Jakarta, policy implementation is not allowed to be delayed even for one hour,” said Mohamad Sanusi, head of the Gerindra faction at the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD), in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

SBY accuses critics of being dishonest

Apr 07 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lashed out on Sunday against his critics, saying that his record during the past 10 years was impressive.

Yudhoyono said in a statement, posted on his private YouTube channel, that his critics, who accused him of only causing setbacks to the country in the past 10 years, were being unfair.

Aceh’s Ulema Consultative Assembly: Vote for ‘Pious’ Candidates

Apr 07 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Banda Aceh/Malang. Islamic scholars in Aceh called on Muslim voters to vote only for devout Muslim candidates in both legislative and presidential elections, suggesting it was haram, or sinful, to do otherwise.

Aceh’s Ulema Consultative Assembly (MPU), a local version of an umbrella ulema group independent from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), issued the an edict, which specified criteria for leaders and lawmakers for whom Muslims should cast their votes.

President declares poll day public holiday

Apr 07 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed a decree declaring April 9, 2014 a public holiday to allow voters to cast their votes in the legislative election.

The decree signed on April 3 is based on decision of the General Elections Commission (KPU) on the date of poll to elect members of the House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional Representative Council (DPD) and the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), and article 4 sub-article (3) of Law No. 8/2012, the Cabinet Secretariat said on its official website on Sunday.

SBY denies ignoring Bawaslu’s summons

Apr 05 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denied that he did not intentionally meet a recent summons from the Elections Monitoring Agency (Bawaslu) as he had never received  an official summons from the agency, says presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha. 

“As of today, April 5, the President has not received a summons from the Bawaslu in connection to the allegation of the use of state money to finance campaigns,” Julian said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Saturday. 

PDI-P Record in Govt a Mixed Bag

Apr 05 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

With the country’s main opposition party seemingly headed for victory in both the legislative election on Wednesday and the presidential election on July 9, observers say the euphoria needs to be tempered by a rational look back at its track record in government.

Ade Irawan, the coordinator of Indonesia Corruption Watch, said on Friday that voters were quickly forgetting the “colorful past and track record” of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) when its chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, was president from 2001 to 2004.

Golkar’s Trip Down Memory Lane Incites Widespread Disapproval

Apr 05 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

As the Golkar Party readies itself to seize on the upcoming legislative election, political analysts remind voters to keep in mind its contentious past.

“Wasn’t it nice in Suharto’s time?” asked Aburizal Bakrie, Golkar Party’s chairman and presidential candidate during his campaigning in Banjarmasin.

In a bid to win more votes, the Golkar Party draws the masses to reminisce on the “good old time” when Suharto was in power, a move met with harsh criticism by an array of political analysts.

Dems refutes Bawaslu allegations against SBY

Apr 04 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Democratic Party executive chairman Syarief Hasan flat-out denied that party chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had used state facilities to support the party’s campaign, which would be a violation of election regulations.

Therefore, he said, Yudhoyono did not need to attend the General Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) in order to clarify the allegation.

“There was no violation and it has been clarified. Thus, there is no need to answer Bawaslu’s invitation,” Syarief said as quoted by kompas.com.

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