JEDDAH, 28 June 2004 — The secretary-general of the Indonesian Election Commission has urged the Indonesian community in the Kingdom to exercise their franchise in big numbers in the July 5 presidential election.
“The Saudi Arabian government has lent commendable support for overseas balloting in the Kingdom, and the Indonesian community should appreciate the gesture by utilizing the opportunity to the fullest, and voting in large numbers,” said Safdar Yusacc, who was here at the head of a three-member team to meet the community and members of local election committees from the Kingdom, UAE, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Kuwait and Algeria.
“This is the first time that direct election for president is being held and also the first time overseas Indonesians are voting in it,” Yusacc said. “I know it might be a bit inconvenient for the Saudi businesses, but I hope they will facilitate voting by their Indonesian employees as a goodwill gesture,” he added.
Of the nearly 80,000 registered Indonesian voters in the Middle East, almost half — 38,970 — are in Saudi Arabia.
