Govt prepares Rp 5t for elections

MANADO, North Sulawesi: General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin disclosed on Friday that the government had allocated Rp 5 trillion (US$609 million) for the 2004 presidential and legislative elections.

According to Nazaruddin, the money would be spent on financing all activities involved in the election process, ranging from the preparations to ballot counting.

He said the funds would not include the money needed to finance the activities of the election supervisory committee (Panwaslu).

Nazaruddin added that the supervisory committee had sought Rp2 trillion to finance its activities over 18 months from 2003 to 2004.

He said that a number of countries like Japan, France, the Netherlands, and Germany had offered assistance to the KPU in the form of training and courses rather than money. - Antara

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Indonesia to assign more diplomats

JAKARTA: The government will post immigration attaches in 11 more foreign capitals and cities, a spokesman said here on Friday.

Ade Endang Dahlan, a spokesperson for the immigration service, said the diplomats would take up postings in London (Britain), Cape Town (South Africa), Cairo (Egypt), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), New Delhi (India), New York (United States), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Ghuang Zhou and Shang Lu (China), and Kinabalu (Malaysia).

So far, Indonesia has immigration attaches in only 18 foreign capitals and cities, he said.

With a total of 29 immigration attaches abroad, the government hopes to improve immigration services to the public in the foreign capitals and cities concerned.

The government, however, is still in the process of selecting the personnel who will be posted abroad, Ade said. - Antara

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WFP to send aid to refugees

AMBON, Maluku: The World Food Program (WFP) will channel food donations to refugees in Maluku who are not covered by the central government's program, an official has said.

Chairman of WFP-Maluku, Jerry Bailey, told reporters here on Friday that the work of the United Nations in handling the food program in the province since 2002 had been made possible through the involvement of 14 working partners.

"In implementing the program, to reach the right targets on time, the WFP has fostered cooperation with other United Nations institutions, the local administration and some non-governmental organizations," he said.

He said the WFP has contributed 425 metric tons of rice to over 12,000 people traumatized by the communal conflict which lasted three years since it first flared up in January 1999. Some of the refugees received donations under the "food-for-work" program in the provincial capital of Ambon and Leihitu subdistrict in Central Maluku.

"WFP assistance is also allocated to widows and those aged over 55. The WFP will also channel other supplies needed by the refugees," he added. -- Antara