Tourists watch ballot counting

Tourists watch ballot counting

JAKARTA (JP): At two o'clock sharp ballot counting had begun
yesterday. Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta was a bit cheerful
as many tourists and residents curiously watched ballot counting
there.

Tourists bringing along cameras said they found the election
"very interesting".

"I'm very curious to know the results, but I'm sure Golkar
will win," a Dutch tourist said.

Another tourist named Christer Nielsson said, "I just arrived
last night from Sweden, but I already knew that there would be an
election here."

The two tourists carefully watched the unique competition
between PPP and Golkar.

The tally for the House of Representatives at the station near
the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel was 175 for PPP, 205 for Golkar and
four for PDI. "At last there's some opposition," a woman in a
blazer said.

People clapped loudly for PDI saying in an amused tone, "At
last there's a PDI."

At other polling stations the outcome was too predictable as
Golkar dominated the tallying.

"The political system in Indonesia is completely different
from the one in my country," the Dutch tourist said. Nielsson
shared her opinion, saying that there was also a great difference
in policy making between Indonesia and Sweden.

CNN was one of the foreign media covering the event. (ste/10)