Several foreign observers from 12 countries have visited Indonesia to monitor the implementation of the ongoing regional head elections (pilkada) being held simultaneously in 171 regions across the country on Wednesday.

The foreign observers came from Australia, Switzerland, and several Asian countries, among others.

Several foreign embassies and three international election monitoring organizations have also sent their representatives to observe the third simultaneous pilkada ever organized by the Indonesian government so far.

At least 20 civil organizations of Indonesia have also sent observers to monitor the implementation of pilkada at various polling stations.

Three members of the Election Supervision Body -- Mochammad Afifuddin, Fritz Edward Siregar, and Rahmat Bagja -- will also personally monitor the implementation of pilkada.

Afifuddin will monitor polling in Tangerang, Banten Province; Siregar in Bogor City; and Bagja in Bogor District.

Meanwhile, some 150 foreigners from 24 countries participated in an election visit program in Surabaya, East Java, to observe the pilkada 2018.

The foreigners were from Fiji, Egypt, South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Over 152 million Indonesians were expected to go to polls to elect 17 governors, 39 mayors, and 115 district heads during the pilkada 2018 for the 2018-2023 term.

The government declared the local election day as a national holiday.

Based on data of the General Elections Commission, the total number of eligible voters for the pilkada 2018 reached 152,067,680 comprising some 76 million female voters and 75 million male voters.

The Commission estimated that the total turnout will reach more than 70 percent.

The 17 provinces holding pilkada were East Java, Central Java, West Java, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sumatra, Riau, Maluku, Bali, Southeast Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Papua, North Maluku, and Lampung.

Indonesia had organized simultaneous pilkada peacefully in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

A total of 171,507 police personnel; 36,968 TNI or military forces; and 756,470 community guards were deployed to ensure security during elections.

Brigadier General Rikwanto, head of the multimedia bureau of the Indonesia Police`s Public Relations Division, said recently that security forces stood guard to ensure security in 392,226 precincts set up for the elections. (ANTARA)

Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo monitored the implementation of simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada) from the observation post in Polling Station 6 of Candisari, Semarang City, Central Java Province, on Wednesday.

Polling Station 6 was also the location where Secretary General of the Ministry of Home Affairs Hadi Prabowo cast his vote for the election of governor and vice governor of Central Java.

After monitoring the voting process at the polling station, Kumolo held a teleconference with pilkada posts in several areas in Indonesia, including Sinjai in South Sulawesi Province, Jayapura in Papua Province, and the provinces of East Java and Maluku.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has conducted monitoring for three days. We firstly ensure that the local budgets are disbursed on time, so that the operational work of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Elections Supervisory Committee, and police has been budgeted well," he remarked after monitoring the implementation of elections in Semarang City on Wednesday.

The teleconference was also attended by Secretary General of the Ministry of Home Affairs Hadi Prabowo, Chairman of the Elections Supervisory Agency Abhan, Head of Information Center of the Ministry of Home Affairs Bahtiar, and Mayor of Semarang Hendrar Prihadi.

Over 152 million Indonesians are expected to go to polls to elect 17 governors, 39 mayors, and 115 district heads for the 2018-2023 term during the simultaneous pilkada held in 171 regions across the country on Wednesday (June 27).

The government has declared the local election day as a national holiday.

Based on data of the KPU, the total number of eligible voters for the 2018 pilkada reaches 152,067,680, comprising some 76 million female voters and 75 million male voters.

The commission estimates that the total turnout will reach more than 70 percent.

The 17 provinces to hold pilkada are East Java, Central Java, West Java, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sumatra, Riau, Maluku, Bali, Southeast Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Papua, North Maluku, and Lampung.

Indonesia had organized simultaneous pilkada peacefully in 2015 and 2017 respectively. (ANTARA)

Implementation of the simultaneous regional head elections across the country on June 27, 2018, should serve as an exhilarating celebration of democracy for the people, Law and Security Minister Wiranto remarked in Bogor on Wednesday.

"As we all hope, this simultaneous regional head election must be held safely, orderly, and peacefully, as they are an exhilarating celebration of democracy for the people," Wiranto noted after reviewing the election process at the Taman Malabar Polling Station-07, in Bogor, West Java.

The law and security minister observed the process of the West Java gubernatorial election and Bogor city head election at several polling stations.

Wiranto visited Polling Station-05 in Bantarjati, North Bogor, and Polling Station-07 at Taman Malabar in Central Bogor.

The minister said there was no particular reason for conducting a random review of several polling stations, as not all of them can be visited by the state organizers as the facilitators of regional elections.

According to Wiranto, the review aims to ensure that implementation of the 2018 regional elections was in accordance with the aspirations of the entire community and are held in a safe, peaceful, and conducive manner.

He also delivered the president`s message that 2018 is not a political year full of competition and disputes.

"However, this is a celebration of democracy that is held with great joy," Wiranto noted. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo has ensured the security of 15 thousand delegates who will attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund & World Bank Group (IMF-WBG) in Bali.

During a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday, Widodo led the meeting to discuss the preparations for the annual meeting with Economic Coordinating Minister Darmin Nasution; Politics, Law and Security Coordinating Minister Wiranto; Maritime Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan; Finance Minister Sri Mulyani; and Health Minister Nila F Moeloek.

Besides, Head of Police General Tito Karnavian; Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar; Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi; State Secretary Minister Pratikno; and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung also joined the meeting with the president.

At least delegates from 189 countries will visit Bali to attend the meeting in October 2018.

The president discussed the preparations for the event, including the transportation, accommodation, and security.

"At this meeting, I want to ensure the readiness of the event, starting from the airport, the meeting place, and the accommodation, including the supporting facilities, in order to make the event successful," he noted.

Widodo also called for the security of the delegates during their stay in Bali.

He also urged related parties to coordinate to handle the problems in making the meeting successful.

"I have contacted the governor of Bali, and all preparations will be made by the end of July. Then, we can prepare other steps in October," Widodo added.

According to the website www.am2018bali.go.id, the IMF-WBG meetings are conducted annually in October to discuss the work of each respective institution.

Besides the plenary meeting of the Boards of Governors, the Development Committee and the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) are convened as part of the annual meetings.

The DC and IMFC will advise the Boards of Governors on global financial and economic development issues, including global economic outlook, poverty eradication, and aid effectiveness. (ANTARA)