The Jakarta Post, May 17, 2006
Ambon residents head for polls to elect mayor
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
Ambon city residents went to the polls Monday to elect a city mayor and deputy
mayor with hundreds enthusiastically showing up to cast their votes.
In many voting stations, the election went smoothly, although hundreds of supporters
from one of the five pairs of candidates contesting the election demanded on Sunday
that the Ambon Election Commission (KPUD) reregister the voters as at least 20,000
people were not yet listed for Monday's election. The protesters also threatened to
boycott the election.
"The election went smoothly, and people are enthusiastic to cast their votes in voting
stations," Maluku Police Chief Brig. Gen. Adityawarman said after visiting 25 polling
stations in Ambon's three districts Monday.
He said so far, there were only two minor incidents that disrupted the election, the
stealing of a ballot box in Kebun Cengkih area, Batu Merah village and the hoisting of
a separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag.
Over 185,000 eligible voters were expected to cast their votes Monday at 448 polling
stations in the city's three districts but the number might increase as many voters
who were not officially listed but were invited to vote.
"There are only 501 people listed in this polling station but the number might increase
as many residents are permitted to vote by showing their identity cards, family cards
or the voting cards they had during the 2004 presidential election as ruled by KPUD,"
said Kasim, a staffer at a polling station in Pohon Magga Air Salobar, Nusaniwe
district.
The five pairs of candidates contesting the election are MJ Papilaja-Olivia Latuconsina
from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Made Rahman
Marasabessy-Aloysius Leisubun from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and three
small parties; Richard Louhenapessy-Syarif Hadler of Golkar Party.
The other two pairs are John Malaiholo-Irma Betaubun of the Democratic Party and
the Crescent Star Party (PBB); and Hendrik Hattu-Iskandar Walla of the Prosperous
Peace Party and two other parties.
The old faces include incumbent Ambon mayor MJ Papilaja and deputy Syarif Hadler,
but in the Monday election they did not run together.
The provisional result has not been released.
All of the five pairs of candidates for city mayor 2006-2011 come from different faiths.
In most cases a Christian mayoral candidate would likely pick a Muslim as his
running candidate.
Of the five pairs, Made Rahman Marasabessy is the only Muslim who is running for
the top job.
Political observer Abidin Wakano said the phenomenon showed there is a consistent
effort toward reconciliation in the city.
However, he also pointed out that the effort might show that the conflict in Ambon is
not yet over.
"I see that candidates running for mayor are particular about picking a partner from
another religious community. This shows that religion is still a major issue in Ambon
and the strategy is used to gain votes from both communities," said the program
manager of the Maluku Interfaith Institute.
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