Indonesians queue to cast their vote at a polling centre in Qatar yesterday. (PIC courtesy Overseas Election Committee in Doha)
Doha, Qatar: Thousands of Indonesian citizens residing in Qatar participated in the 2024 Indonesia General Election, yesterday, February 9, ahead of the scheduled voting day in Indonesia on February 14.
The election aims to elect the president, vice-president, and members of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), including the House of Representatives (DPR), the Senate (DPD), and local legislative bodies.
With approximately 7,325 registered voters in Qatar, the Overseas Election Committee in Doha established two polling precincts: Qatar Sports Center in Doha and Al Dhahkira Sports Club in Al Khor.
Pri Handoko Saputro, a member of the committee, told The Peninsula that there was a high voter turnout due to extensive social media campaigns, community engagement efforts, and awareness promotions.
The voting process involved two sets of ballots — one for selecting the president and vice president and another for choosing parliament members.
Saputro clarified that the elections were conducted manually, and vote counting will commence on February 14, together with the counting of the election worldwide including in Indonesia, and the result will be sent to Indonesia.
He also highlighted the significance of voting, stressing that it is a fundamental duty of every Indonesian citizen and a crucial aspect of democracy.
Moreover, he explained that the decision to hold the voting earlier in Qatar was to accommodate the majority of voters who had a day off on Friday, unlike the official voting day, February 14, which falls on a Wednesday, a working day. Voting took place from 8am to 9pm.
Comparing the 2019 voting, Saputro said that the number of voters are higher for this year.
The Indonesian diaspora in Qatar currently comprises around 22,000 individuals. In Indonesia, over 205 million are eligible to vote on February 14, making it one of the world’s biggest election days.
People between 17 and over are eligible to vote in the Southeast Asian nation.
