indonesian parliamentary election 2009

I should be doing my assignments now but I stuck and can't do much bout it for the time being, still waiting for inspirations!! :P. So I'll just share something about interesting experience during my task as one of the member of KPPSLN (Kelompok Penyelenggara Pemungutan Suara Luar Negeri, or Organizing Group of the Overseas Election). On Thursday, 9 April 2009, Indonesians casted their votes for their representatives at the parliament. In Indonesia, they received four ballot papers, one for DPR (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, or People's Representative Council), one for DPRD I (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Tingkat I, or Provincial Regional People's Representative Council), one for DPRD II (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Tingkat II, or Regencial/Municipal Regional People's Representative Council), and one for DPD (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah, or Regional Representatives Council). However, overseas Indonesians only need to vote once, for DPR (we voted for Election Region Jakarta II).

Our team from left to right: Fachrian, Yogie, Citra, Fariz, me, Bertram, and Steve

Our team from TPS 19 (TPS stands for Tempat Pemungutan Suara, or Voting Station): Fachrian, Bertram, Steve, Citra, Yogie, me, and Fariz, had already gathered in KBRI Singapura (Indonesian Embassy in Singapore) at 7am to prepare our voting station and receive voters. We expected most of the voters will arrive at the first 2 to 3 hours from the start of the general election. The General Election in Singapore itself was officially started at 8am and the number of registered voters in Singapore is about 90000, so since there were 35 voting stations, 1 station should accomodate around 2500 voters. Only around 10 percent of the voters turned up to cast their vote directly in the embassy while the rest is either sending their votes via post or didn't vote at all... I strongly believe that all of the good Indonesian citizens should cast their vote as part of their responsibilities to their country. However, they should know well which political party they choose so that they also vote responsibly. Just as Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s" (Mark 12:17), in which Caesar in our current situation refers to the government.

the ballot papers

showing the ballot paper to the voter to make sure that it is valid before they use it (no scratches, no holes, no marks whatsoever) and explaining the valid way of casting votes

with the girls from Singapore Management University

general situation during the election day

The Result

So, the election was officially closed at 15.00. All the unused ballot papers need to be crossed out. There are around 2200 unused papers, and all of them must be crossed out! After that, we opened the electoral box and count all the votes. Since there were only 289 voters came to our voting station on that day, the counting itself took only less than two hours. Still, there were two empty ballot papers and several other invalid votes... Partai Demokrat (Democratic Party) received around 50% of the votes in our station, followed by Partai Demokrasi Indonesia - Perjuangan (Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle) and Partai Golongan Karya (Party of the Functional Groups) in the second and third place respectively. This trend also occured in other voting stations as well and Partai Demokrat came as the "almost" absolute winner in the election in Singapore.

me and Steve crossing out unused ballot papers

verifying the ballot papers and counting the votes

recapitulating the result

and here is the winner in our voting station

Thank God that the election went smoothly, the queue didn't go too long (it reached Tanglin area during the last general election in 2004!), and I really pray for the best, so that with this parliamentary election and the upcoming presidential election, Indonesia will be able to move into a better and better condition. God bless Indonesia!