Golkar scores victories abroad<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Most ballots cast at Indonesian embassies are in
\nfavor of the ruling Golkar, but reports say that many of the 1.78
\nmillion eligible voters living overseas opted not to vote in the
\nelection.<\/p>\n
In Tokyo, Japan, by 8:00 p.m. local time (6 p.m. Western
\nIndonesia time) Thursday, Golkar had won 638 votes, the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) 98 and the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) 36. Thirty-one of the ballots cast at the embassy had been
\nspoiled.<\/p>\n
The embassy's electoral committee's chairman, Eddy Poerwana,
\nsaid that less than 1,000 of the 3,000 people registered to vote
\nin Japan had turned up to vote. About 1,386 of the ballots that
\nwere due to be sent to the embassy by mail had also not arrived,
\nAntara reported.<\/p>\n
In Berlin, Germany, only 69 percent of the 705 registered
\nvoters showed up to cast their ballots. By Friday 2:30 a.m. local
\ntime (7:30 a.m. Western Indonesia time), Golkar had won 330
\nvotes, PPP 68 and PDI 51. Thirty-eight ballots had been spoiled.<\/p>\n
The consul general in Berlin, Indra Damanik, said that
\nalthough only 69 percent of registered voters had cast their
\nballots, the number was something to be proud of.<\/p>\n
Indonesians in Berlin had received leaflets and intimidation
\njust before the election urging them not to vote, he said.<\/p>\n
The Berlin electoral committee's chief, Aryono, said
\nintimidating messages had been published on the Internet.<\/p>\n
\"But calls for a boycott were ignored by the voters, although
\nsome of them did spoil their ballots to show that they were
\nabstaining from voting,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Golkar also came out on top at all polling stations in
\nAustralia. By Friday morning, Golkar had won 87.2 percent of
\nvotes cast in Sydney. About 3,500 of 4,600 eligible voters in
\nSydney had cast ballots.<\/p>\n
The Sydney polling station was expecting more ballots to be
\nsent by mail from Wollongong, Newcastle, Armidale, Queensland and
\nAdelaide.<\/p>\n
Golkar won 82.8 percent of votes cast in Melbourne with more
\nballot papers expected to be sent from Tasmania.<\/p>\n
In Perth, Golkar won 85.22 percent. Preliminary results at the
\nconsulate there showed that Golkar had won 1,586 votes, PDI 113,
\nand PPP 94; 68 ballots were spoiled. About 2,000 voters were
\nregistered in Perth but only 1,861 voted on election day.<\/p>\n
Golkar won 74.7 percent of votes in Canberra. By Thursday
\n10:45 p.m. local time (7:45 p.m. Western Indonesia time), Golkar
\nhad gained 266 votes, PPP 51, and PDI 22; 17 ballots were
\nspoiled.<\/p>\n
The embassy had 406 registered voters but only 356 had voted
\nby Thursday night.<\/p>\n
In Darwin, Golkar won 62.4 percent of votes from 233 eligible
\nvoters; only 150 of them had cast ballots by Thursday evening.<\/p>\n
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Antara reported that Golkar had won
\nalmost 100 votes to each of the PPP's and the PDI's.<\/p>\n
By Friday 1:45 a.m. local time (12:45 Western Indonesia time),
\nGolkar had won 43,000 votes there, compared to PPP's 673 and
\nPDI's 240. Only about 24 percent of eligible voters had voted
\nwith more ballots expected to arrive by mail and results expected
\nfrom 112 polling stations set up in 11 places in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
The information attache in Kuala Lumpur, Achmad Nawawi Hasbi,
\nsaid there were about 1.4 million eligible voters in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
In Beijing, China, Golkar had won 206 votes, PDI 11 and PPP 3
\nby Thursday 9:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. Western Indonesia
\ntime). Twelve ballots had been spoiled.<\/p>\n
At least 327 Indonesians were registered in Beijing for this
\nyear's polls, compared to only 50 in 1992, two years after
\nIndonesia and China restored diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n
In Sana'a, Yemen, Golkar won 55 votes and the PPP won 2 by
\nThursday 2:30 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. Western Indonesia time).
\nThe PDI had not gained any votes.<\/p>\n
The embassy's electoral committee's chairman, Muhamad Gufran,
\nsaid more ballots were expected by mail. At least 243 Indonesians
\nliving in Yemen were eligible to vote, he said. (pwn)<\/p>",
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