Kupang (ANTARA News) - Support for Komodo Island to become a New7Wonders of Nature site has reached more than 100 million votes cast through cellular text (SMS) messages to the call number 9818.

"Over the weekend, some 14.3 million votes had come in. So up to now, the total number of votes has reached over 100 million. But, we cannot give the exact figure because it`s against the rules," Emmy Hafild, the Komodo Support (P2 Komodo) coordinator, said here on Monday.

Until Monday evening (Oct 31), the number of votes is expected to reach 110 million or just 10 million short of the 120 votes needed.

"For those giving votes a 100 times or more, they can register their names to be written in the Komodo monument as witnesses of history, in the final of the New7Wonders of Nature in 2011," she said.

The New7Wonder Foundation has targeted a total of one billion SMS votes from supporters of the 28 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.

"In the beginning, there were 440 entries from 220 countries, and they were selected to 77 nominees, and again to 28 finalists. And now it`s up to the public to choose the New7Wonders winners," she said.

P2 Komodo had obtained a license to mobilize support for Komodo Island as a finalist in the the New7Wonders of Nature race.

She said the number of supporting votes for Komodo had increased significantly since the participation of prominent figures such as former president M Jusuf Kalla, Olga Lydia, Fadli Padi, Slank and RAN (singers and band groups) in the campaign for Komodo.

"When Slank announced its support, some 10 million votes were received in a single day," she said.

And when Malaysia promoted its Water Lizard to compete with Komodo, the votes for Komodo immediately increased from 3.5 million to 6.8 million per day , she said.

Indonesian migrants workers in South Korea and Taiwan also gave their support by sending the votes via cellular phones, she said.
(Uu.F001/HAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011