Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Local govt official in Papua killed at polling station

Posted at 23:45 on 29 January, 2013 UTC

A local legislative council member was killed in Indonesia as voters went to the polls in Papua’s gubernatorial election

The Jakarta Globe says Husia Yosia Karoba was killed after urging hundreds of supporters of the Democratic Party to vote for two candidates from his Golkar Party.

One witness says people were angry because he had tried to influence them to vote for his candidates in an area where the base for the Democratic Party is strong.

Papua Police deputy chief Brigadier General Paulus Waterpauw confirmed the incident, saying Husia was declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.

Six candidates are competing in Papua’s gubernatorial election, where voters will choose the new leaders of Indonesia’s easternmost province for the 2013-18 period.