President Declares Poll Day Public Holiday

Jakarta (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed a decree declaring April 9, 2014 a public holiday to allow voters to cast their votes in the legislative election. The decree signed on April 3 is based on decision of the General Elections Commission (KPU) on the date of poll to elect members of the House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional Representative Council (DPD) and the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), and article 4 sub-article (3) of Law No. 8/2012, the Cabinet Secretariat said on its official website on Sunday. Earlier, Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar in his circular signed on March 26, 2014 also declared the poll day a holiday for employees/workers. "By doing so, we hope employees/workers can channel their political aspirations in the five-yearly Fiesta of Democracy," he said. (*)