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)