VP: ALL ELECTORAL PROCESSES MUST BE KEPT FAIR, HONEST

Medan, North Sumatra, March 17 (ANTARA) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the honesty and fairness of all processes in general elections, including regional elections, should be constantly guarded so that democracy would remain credible and trustworthy to the people.

"Fairness and honesty in general elections belong to all people and not to political parties alone. Therefore the credibility of democracy should be maintained through fair and honest electoral processes," the vice president told newsmen during a flight from Jakarta to Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday.
Kalla made the statement when asked to comment on the discovery of a fake Permanent Voters' List (DPT) in East Java's gubernatorial election recently.
The vice president said all processes in general elections, including regional elections, should be fair and honest.
Therefore, he said, each time there was an indication of unfairness and dishonesty in any electoral process, it should be dealt with immediately and seriously.
He said the case in East Java's gubernatorial election, was not something in which the central government could intervene as it was a structural problem.
According to Kalla, democracy was a matter of trust and thus the trust should be fully kept and maintained.
Earlier, former East Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Herman Surjadi Sumawiredja disclosed that there was a forged Permanent Voters List (DPT) in East Java's gubernatorial election, especially in the districts of Sampang and Bangkalan on Madura Island.
Surjadi said on February 18, 2009 he named East Java General Election Commission (KPU) chairman Wahyudi Purnomo as a suspect in the case but one day later he (Surjadi) was discharged from his position as East Java police chief and replaced by Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam.
The former East Java Police chief admitted that during the investigation into the DPT forgery case, the National Police Headquarters had intervened.
Consequently, Surjadi, who would enter his retirement period on June 1, 2009, expressed strong disappointment and announced his resignation as a member of the National Police.