2 Ballot Boxes in East Jakarta Opened without Any Witness

Claiming taking dossiers left inside ballot boxes, Voting Committee Group (KPPS) Chief Rochman and Voting Vommittee (PPS) Chief Sa’aman Sabkih opened two ballot boxes in polling station (TPS) 10 on Jalan H Lele Swadaya, RW 01, Jatinegara Urban Village, Cakung Sub-District, East Jakarta. Unfortunately, they did it without the presence of witnesses from any political party as well as Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu).

I have no desire to change voting results. I opened it only to take the dossiers left inside those ballot boxes

The boxes are for DPR and DPD ballots. They were opened in PPS room at Sasana Krida Karang Taruna Building on Jalan Puskesmas, RT 05/03 Jatinegara, Thursday (4/10) morning.

When being confirmed, Sabkih admitted that he has opened two ballot boxes, but denied doing it without witness to change voting results of particular candidate or to commit fraudulent. He reasoned that he opened those ballot boxes merely to take the dossiers left inside the boxes since they are needed to submit ballot boxes to urban village level.

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“ I have no desire to change voting results. I opened it only to take the dossiers left inside those ballot boxes . Besides, I did it based on Rochman’s command, and witnessed by two internal PPS witnesses,” stated Sabkih, Thursday (4/10).

Meanwhile, Rochman argued that the dossiers left inside the ballot boxes need to be fixed in the writing of chooser data column. He should have submitted the dossiers to PPS on Wednesday night, but it was rejected because of the wrong writing in C1 column. Because of long line and the night was getting late, he was asked to come again on Thursday morning.

“I didn’t know the right procedure to open the ballot box seal. I thought that if only witnessed by PPS chief, it was already enough and met the procedure. The point is, I do not want to change the voting results and just wanted to fix the wrong writing on those dossiers. It could be checked,” he uttered.

Meanwhile, Jatinegara Urban Village Field Election Supervisor (PPL), Agus Salim, suspected there were irregularities in this incident because ballot box is not supposed to be opened until plenary meeting is held. If it to be opened, there are certain procedures applied, namely witnessed by witnesses from political parties and Panwaslu officials.

“There must be something wrong. Why the ballots opened without our consent as supervisors?” he wondered.

Head of Cakung Sub-District Panwaslu, Supratman, added that opening ballot box without any witness is a violation. For that, his party will report this case in stages to city Panwaslu until Bawaslu and KPU.

“As supervisors, we will investigate this case. We will make A1 and S2 forms. And if there was violation, we will make a report in A3 form. We’ll report this case in stages in Panwaslu. Regarding the sanction, it will be discussed by Panwas and Gakumdu (integrated law enforcer) in city level,” he finished.