Dutch gives $4.4m to RI for election

JAKARTA: The Dutch government will give a grant of US$4.4 million to the Indonesian government so it can pay for the cost of holding the presidential election in July.

The grant will be administered through the UN Development Program via the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Koentjoro-Jakti. The launch of a book on cooperation between Indonesia, the Netherlands and the UNDP will follow the signing of the donation.

UNDP spokesman Valentinus Irawan said on Tuesday that the aid money would help the development of democracy here. The Dutch government earlier donated $2 million to help Indonesia prepare for the April 5 legislative election. -- Antara