... Whoever is elected as the president, we hope he will lead Indonesia to become a better country... "
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian citizens in Russia have cast their votes for the presidential election in Indonesian Foreign Polling Center, Indonesian Embassy, in Moscow on Friday.

The press release from Indonesian Embassy received here on Friday stated that at least 534 voters have been included in the permanent foreign voters list for the 2014 presidential and vice presidential election.

According to the embassy, 230 people voted in the polling center. Meanwhile, the officer had sent 304 ballots to Indonesians in other regions in Russia using postal service.

The citizens are spread in 50 cities across Russia, including Moscow and Moscow Oblast, Saint Petersburg, Ufa, Krasnodar, Arkhangelsk, Tomsk, Irkuts, Belgorod, and Volgograd.

The status of Indonesian citizens are derived from the family of embassy officers, professional employees, students, expatriates, and Indonesian citizens who have married Russians.

"When the polling center opened at 08:00 am, many spa therapists had gathered in the center to vote for their president," the embassy said.

The embassy added that some employees who mostly came from Bali were very enthusiastic about casting their votes.

"Whoever is elected as the president, we hope he will lead Indonesia to become a better country," an Indonesian student in Moscow, Kania, said.

Indonesian Ambassador to Russia, Djauhari Oratmangun, appreciated the willingness of Indonesian citizens in Moscow who have cast their votes amidst the fasting month that has a longer period of 19 hours.

"Even though this is the fasting month, they were still enthusiastic in casting their votes. Whoever will be elected as the president, he must be the best selection of the people," Djauhari said.

The Moscow Polling Center had provided the timing for casting votes for the presidential election from 08:00 am to 16:00 pm.

The counting of votes will take place on July, 9, 2014, in line with the presidential election in Indonesia. The General Election Commission will calculate the ballots through post service until the deadline on July, 14, 2014.

Editor: Ade P Marboen
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