Panwaslu to recruit poll observers

Panwaslu to recruit poll observers

PADANG, West Sumatra: West Sumatra Election Supervisory Committee
(Panwaslu) plans to hire over 13,000 election observers for the
West Sumatra gubernatorial election on June 27, a senior official
said on Thursday.

Hasril Chaniago, the head of the West Sumatra Panwaslu, said
that most of them would monitor at polling stations, while others
would work at the subdistrict poll committee secretariats
throughout the province.

"There is a possibility that none of the candidates will have
their own observers during the election, so we have taken the
initiative to provide monitors in all polling booths and
subdistrict offices across the province," said Hasril.

The poll observers will be hired in early June and then will
be trained. The observers will mostly be local residents and
should have no direct affiliation with any political party or
candidate. The Panwaslu has earmarked Rp 1.6 billion
(approximately US$170,000) for the observers. -- JP