POLLS WATCHDOG TO COORDINATE WITH MONITORING TEAMS TO SUPERVISE VERIFICATION TESTS

Jakarta, June 11 (ANTARA) - The General Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) will coordinate with polls monitoring teams to supervise the implementation of factual verification tests of political parties in the regions.
Bawaslu had discussed the cooperation with a number of polls monitoring institutions, Wahidah Suaib, a Bawaslu member, said her on Wednesday.
The cooperation was a strategy of Bawaslu to supervise the factual verification tests, because the General Elections Supervisory Committee has yet to be set up, she said.
"It's our strategy to anticipate (the implementation of the tests). We consider the verification test is a crucial stage. We will sign a memorandum of understanding with the monitoring institutions to detect any violation," she said.
Among the monitoring institutions are the Educational Network of Voters for the People (JPPR), The Independent Committee for Voting Monitoring (KIPP), the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra).
The memorandum of understanding will be signed this week or next week, according to Wahidah.
"We hope that in July or August 2008, the General Elections Supervisory Committee will be formed," she said.