4,000 families not listed as voters

4,000 families not listed as voters

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Voter registration officials
failed to reach about 4,000 families living in isolated areas
throughout the province.

Chief of the provincial social service office, Wiyono, said
the families are scattered deep in the hinterland and cannot be
reached by land vehicles.

According to Wiyono, of the 7,000 isolated families living in
the province, only 3,000 have access to government services.

"The isolated families are still economically, socially and
culturally backward," he told Antara.

He said that even if election officials were able to reach
them, he believes they would have a hard time explaining the ABCs
of the general election.

Most of the 7,000 isolated families are Dayaks. They are
divided into several subtribal groups, such as the Punan (Punan
Sajau, Punan Pimping, Punan Basap and Punan Berusa), Putuk,
Kenyah and Kayan, Wiyono said. (pan)