It's a no for foreign observers

JAMBI: The General Elections Committee (KPU) in Jambi province have opened registration for independent observers for the upcoming election of regional heads until the end of March, an official says.

"The observers should be independent teams from local nongovernmental groups and other legal entities," the Jambi committee's chairman, Rozali Abdullah, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The teams, he added, should have clear financial backgrounds and must not be members of political parties competing in the June elections.

"If foreign observers want to take part, they can help financially, but not (by sending) people. Funds can be used by local nongovernmental groups to monitor the election," he said.

The teams, he said, would be accredited by the provincial and regental/municipal branches of the committee. -- JP