PRESIDENT CHAIRS MEETING WITH GOVERNORS

Jakarta, April 24 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono chaired a meeting with provincial governors from across the country at the State Secretariat here on Friday.

Minister/State Secretary Hatta Radjasa said the meeting which was also attended by Vice President Jusuf Kalla discussed the updating of voters' data in the run-up to the presidential election.

"How to familiarize the public about the electoral processes, including voters' registration, will also be discussed in the meeting because the system this time is different. In the past we had voters' registration committees (Pantarlih) but now people must be proactive. Therefore, a familiarization effort is necessary," Hatta Radjasa said.

Although the government would not be active in the data updating process, provincial administrations would be asked to support the General Elections Commission (KPU) in their respective areas, he said.

"The support will be in the form of familiarization effort in order to include those who have the right to vote into the permanent voters' lists (DPTs) without exception," Radjasa said.

Also present at the meeting were a number of cabinet ministers namely acting Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS, Home Affairs Minister Madiyanto, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, Administrative Reform Minister Taufik Effendi, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafei Djamal, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda, National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso, Attorney General Hendarman Supanji, and State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar.

However, Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu and Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika were absent because the former was in Thailand and the latter was attending an annual ritual at the Pura Besakih shrine in Bali.***