Indonesian Citizens In Cambodia Voted For Early Elections On February 10

JAKARTA - Indonesian citizens (WNI) in Cambodia will vote for the 2024 General Election on February 10, or earlier than the national vote scheduled for February 14, 2024.

According to the Chairman of the Overseas Election Committee (PPLN) Phnom Penh Roland Uly Uju, the determination of the voting date has been proposed and approved by the General Elections Commission (KPU), by adjusting the condition of Indonesian citizens in Cambodia.

"Because if (the vote) was carried out on February 14 which falls on Wednesday, it is very unlikely that Indonesian citizens can ask for work permits. So we decided that the election would be held on February 10, namely on Saturday," said Roland, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, December 4.

PPLN Phnom Penh noted that 9,099 Indonesian citizens were included in the list of permanent overseas voters (DPTLN) in Cambodia.

The Indonesian citizens can exercise their voting rights by going directly to the polling stations (TPS) at the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, or with a mobile ballot box (KSK) mechanism spread across four Indonesian citizens' pockets in Cambodia, namely in Sihanoukville, Bavet, Chrey Thom, and Poipet. "We have socialized the voting date, and to accommodate more Indonesian citizens who want to vote, we also give additional voting times, namely 09.00 to 15.00 local time," said Roland.

Based on technical guidance from the KPU, PPLN Phnom Penh has also prepared the logistics needed for the election, namely storage warehouses, ballot boxes, ballot booths, and voting tools.

"We are just waiting for logistics from Indonesia to be sent in a diplomatic pocket containing ballots and ballot boxes," said Roland.

The KPU noted that there are around 1.7 million voters abroad who will exercise their voting rights early or early voting in the 2024 General Election.

KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari said PPLN in several Arab countries would hold the earliest vote, namely on Friday, February 9, 2023, after the time of the Ashar prayer local time.

Meanwhile, PPLN in other areas may hold a voting on Saturday-Sunday, 10-11 February 2024.

Voting abroad can be done in three ways, namely voting via post (post voting), through KSK, and voting directly at foreign polling stations.

The timing of the three methods has been regulated through the KPU's decision, for example, the postal method can be started 30 days before the voting day in Indonesia.