ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI RESIDENT WAS ELIGIBLE VOTER IN PAST POLLS

Jember, East Java, March 24 (ANTARA) - Local immigration officer have arrested a Bangldeshi national who had been living in the country for years without the required papers and even cast ballots in past general elections.
Mohammad Tobi (32) had participated in several elections in Jember District, East Java, because his name always was in the permanent voters' lists (DPTs) although he was in reality a foreigner.living in Indonesia illegally.
"I have been living in Jember since 2002, and participated in several elections in Jember, such as the 2004 general elections, the district head election in 2005, and the East Java gubernatorial election in 2008," Tobi said after his arrest by Jember immigration officers on Tuesday.
He said he had obtained an Indonesian citizen's identity card (KTP) from the Gebang village administration in Patrang sub district in 2002. Ever since, he had taken part in the presidential and regional head elections in Jember. .
"In the 2004 presidential poll, I voted for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he said.
He said he would also participate in the upcoming general elections if he was invited.
Meanwhile, the head of the Jember Immigration Office, Jon Rais. said Mohammad Tobi was detained at his house at Gebang, following a tip-off from local people.
Tobi was arrested because he was unable to produce the required documents as a foreigner and would therefore be deported to his country, Bangladesh, Rais said.
The Bangladeshi is married to a local woman, identified as Evi Yunita (30), who was also interrogated by the immigration officers.
Rais suspected that several foreigners being detained by his office might also be listed in voters' lists as they all had KTPs.
"Two foreigners we arrested before have KTPs. They might also be included in DPTs." he said.
From January to March 2009, the Jember immigration office had detained four foreign nationals and two of them had Indonesian citizen's identity cards (KTPs).
Hanan Kukuh Ratmono of the Jember KPU (General Elections Commission) said he was not aware of any foreigner being listed as an eligible voter for the upcoming polls.
Indonesia will hold legislative elections on April 9, 2009, and a presidential election on July 8, 2009.