People told to stay optimistic

JAKARTA: A non-governmental organization, the Partnership for Governance Reform, and the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), expressed optimism that the 2004 elections would help speed up reform.

They thus called on people to exercise their right to vote and remain optimistic about the future of the country after the elections.

"Reform does not have to wait for leaders to command, but people themselves can unite to implement reform," the Partnership's executive director, H.S.Dillon, told a press conference last week.

Aside from the Partnership and Panwaslu, the press conference was also attended by Ambon mayor Jopie Papilaya, and two women activists from Aceh and South Sulawesi respectively. -- JP