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JAKARTA : Indonesia's Constitutional Court has made a dramatic last minute ruling to allow millions of unregistered voters to use their identity cards to cast ballots in Wednesday's presidential election.
The decision was reached after candidates Jusuf Kalla and Megawati Sukarnoputri gave an ultimatum to the election body to resolve the irregularities found in the electoral roll.
With less than 48 hours to go before polling, presidential candidates Mr Kalla and Ms Megawati mounted a surprise.
They marched to the election commission, demanding the electoral body fix the alleged irregularities in the electoral roll. They wanted the election postponed if the issue was not resolved.
Mr Kalla said: "We came with the intention to protect the people's rights to vote. It is their votes. It is not about us. The votes can go to anyone. These unregistered voters are not clear for whom. We are here to protect the voters."
Some 40 million voters were said to have been left out of the electoral roll. And of the 176 million registered, there is evidence of multiple entries and names of ineligible voters. But the election commission had insisted polling would go on as schedule.
Ms Megawati said: "In these last few days, we really want to make sure that the election can be carried out. And we are waiting for the other candidate to find the solutions to these problems together."
Incumbent president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was absent - preferring to leave the issue in the hands of the election commission.
The commission played down fears that allowing the use of identity cards to vote would lead to multiple ballots being cast by the same person.
Abdul Hafiz Anshary, head, Election Commission, said: "But they still can only cast their ballots once. For example, if they have four identity cards, it does not mean they can vote four times. This means inking the finger as proof of voting is vital."
However, observers are sceptical whether voters will be eager to turn up at the polling centres.
C Effendi, political expert, Jakarta's Muhammadiyah University, said: "I doubt about the degree of enthusiasm of the people to go to the polling booths on their own. I am afraid there is a certain degree of dissatisfaction about the lacklustre performance of the candidates in the debate.
"I am afraid because I feel that this election is much more ordinary than any other elections. It will not give the encouragement for the people to go to the polling booths."
The election commission must now ensure that the printers work double time to print millions more ballot papers in less than 48 hours.
The issue, which has threatened Indonesia's only second direct presidential election, has been resolved - at least for now. But with millions of voters spread across Indonesia's sprawling archipelago, the election officials must now get their act together, to ensure it all goes smoothly. - CNA/ms
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