SOME 27,000 INDONESIANS CAST VOTES IN AUSTRALIA

Brisbane, April 9 (ANTARA) - Indonesian ambassador to Australia
and Vanuatu Primo Alui Joelianto, his wife and at least 27,000 Indonesians living in the neighboring country cast their votes in the legislative polls early Thursday.

The envoy and his wife gave their votes at a polling station (TPS) located in the embassy's hall "Balai Kartini" in Canberra.

"Don't ask about the choise (political party)..... as it is confidential," he told Antara soon after he finished ticking the ballot papers.

Joelianto expressed happiness about the great enthusiasm of Indonesian citizens coming to the embassy premises to exercise their voting right.

"Our fellow countrymen came to polling stations starting at 09:00 a.m. local time. Hopefully the participation rate of 2004 legislative polls will be as high as 80 percent," he said.

The envoy said, the TPS on the embassy premises would serve voters until 06:00 p.m. Canberra time, while the vote count would be started at 07.00 p.m. local time.

"I will personaly witness the vote count," Joelianto said.

The Indonesia's Overseas Election Committee (PPLN) in Canberra had registered 467 permanent voters, 44 of them and other three voters in Vanuatu decided to give votes through the post office.

The Australia PPLN set up a number of TPS in Darwin, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Townsville.

The polls committee in New South Wales (NSW), Queensland, and South Australia were equipped with broadband Telstra and two units of laptop to support the online system on eligible voters data for the April 9 polls, said chairman of overseas vote cast organizing committee (KPPSLN) for Brisbane, Cecep Setiawan said Monday.

The April 9 legislative polls, will be followed by the direct presidential election will on July 8, 2009. ***1***