Mimika Regency's Election Rife with Irregularities

TIMIKA (MIMIKA) - Mimika regency's election has been marred with irregularities, as at some polling stations residents without ID cards or verification from the Regional Elections Commission (KPUD) have been allowed to cast their votes.

Incidents could be witnessed at polling stations in Kampung Koprakopa and Kampung Nawaripi where some people were even able to cast votes at multiple polling stations without being disqualified.

“I saw a woman vote at several different polling stations,” Bekti, a local resident, said on Thursday.

Mimika Elections Supervising Committee head Agustinus Roya said the committee had also received reports that a member of the local election committee had allegedly tried to tamper with the votes.

“The police have detained the committee member and confiscated the evidence for further investigation,” he said.

As for the other irregularities, Agustinus urged witnesses to file formal reports with his office.

There were 11 candidates who contested this year's election to become regent of Mimika. As many as 400 police officers had been deployed to safeguard the election. [TheJakartaPost]