They could not vote because the polling booth had been closed when they reached there."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The General Elections Commission (KPU) gave clarification regarding tensions, which reportedly arose during the Indonesian presidential election in Hong Kong, on Sunday (July 6), where some Indonesians were unable to vote despite being on location.

It was earlier reported that some Indonesians in Hong Kong were protesting against the Indonesian Election Committee (PPLN) for closing the polling booths located in Victoria Park. They complained that the PPLN had tried to prevent them from exercising their right to vote.

"They could not vote because the polling booth had been closed when they reached there. The PPLN in Hong Kong had hired a place in Victoria Park, on Sunday, from morning until 5 p.m. local time. Those who could not vote were those who came late," KPUs Commissioner, Hadar Nafis Gumay, stated on Monday.

According to Hadar, the time constraint to hold an election in Victoria Park was given by the Hong Kong authority because the park was a public place.

Unlike the presidential election in Indonesia, which is scheduled to be held on July 9, Indonesians abroad have cast their vote for the presidential election earlier between July 4 and July 6.

The main reason for holding the presidential polls earlier is that those dates fell on a weekend where all citizens are expected to have their day off, and therefore, can participate in the election.

Indonesia will be organizing a free and democratic presidential election on July 9, 2014, which will be contested by only two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Jusuf Kalla (JK).

Prabowo Subianto is a retired military general and the founder of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), while his running mate, Hatta Rajasa, is a former coordinating minister for economic affairs and the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Jokowi is Jakartas governor and a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), while his running mate, JK, is a former vice president and a senior politician of the Golkar Party.

The Prabowo-Hatta pair is supported by Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the Democratic Party, the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), and the Golkar Party, whose current chairman is Aburizal Bakrie, the owner of TV One.

The Jokowi-JK pair is supported by five political parties: PDIP, the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the Peoples Conscience Party (Hanura), the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI), and the National Democrat Party (Nasdem) established by Surya Paloh, the owner of Metro TV and the Media Indonesia newspaper.

(Reporting by Fransiska Ninditya/translating and editing by Amie Fenia Arimbi/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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