Election in Aceh Hampered by Evacuees’ Issue
Friday, 10 November, 2006 | 14:41 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Banda Aceh: The preparation of the Regional Leaders Election in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam is still hampered by the issue of evacuees with the total reaching six thousand people.

According to Secretary for the Aceh Besar Regency, T.M. Dahlan, the regency government does not have enough funds for moving 800 people to vote at the election.

“To relocate Aceh Besar evacuees with 20 buses costs Rp80 million ,” he said when Director General of Regional Autonomy, Kautsar A.S., visited the Aceh Besar Regency Office for stabilization of the election.

Dahlan explained the relocating fund is quite high if it is to be a burden to the Regional Budget.

Moreover, “The cost of the regional leaders election still lacks Rp4 billion,” he said.

The funds for the election in Aceh Besar is Rp12 billion with the details being Rp2.6 billion from State Budget; Rp2.03 billion from Provincial Budget and Rp8.45 billion from the Aceh Besar Regency Budget.

There is a possibility that voting logistics will be sent to evacuation areas so that voting can take place.

Adi Warsidi