'Witnesses not to sign vote reports'

'Witnesses not to sign vote reports'

JAKARTA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) said on
Wednesday that monitors of the 2004 general election would not be
required to sign the reports on ballot counts in order to speed
up the election process.

According to KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti, asking
election monitors to do so would only slow down the count. He did
not explain why.

In the 1999 election, election monitors had to sign the
reports on the ballot counts they had witnessed.

Indonesia will hold a legislative election in April 2004 and
direct presidential election in July. At least 24 parties have
qualified to participate in the legislative election.