Vote-buying Shadows Indonesian Election

Observers say candidates or their agents stuff envelopes with cash or other gifts and hand them to Indonesians in a bid to influence their vote (Credit: AFP)

When Indonesian housewife Suharti was returning home from a shopping trip, a gathering of political party workers handed her 100,000 rupiah ($6.3) and a T-shirt -- and asked her to vote for their candidate next week.

"They told me to vote for this certain candidate but I still don't know who I'm going to vote for," the 53-year-old told AFP.