Election funds to be disbursed

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will "soon" disburse part of the Rp 10 billion to finance the operation of the June 7 general election, Governor Sutiyoso said on Tuesday.

"I know that up to now people involved in the election preparations, especially those at the lowest level, have worked without pay," he said.

The funds would be handed over on Wednesday to the chairman of each provincial and regional elections committee, the district and subdistrict polling committees and the subdistrict elections committees.

Chairman of the Jakarta Provincial Elections Committee Djafar Badjeber welcomed the intended immediate disbursement of the funds.

"The fund disbursement will surely help take the burden off election staffers, who are forced to finance the operational costs themselves due to the late disbursement of the funds," he said. (ind)