REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Foreign observers need to witness the first ever nationwide simultaneous regional head elections on December 9, 2015, to obtain firsthand information on transparent democracy in Indonesia, according to Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

"I am grateful that Indonesia needs foreign observers to witness that democracy in the country is good, transparent, and accountable," Kalla remarked while opening the Election Visit Program for Head of Regional Election 2015 at the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The participants of the Election Visit comprised election observers and activists from Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Australia, in addition to 25 ambassadors from friendly countries.

Kalla said the participants of the Election Visit will observe the process of regional head election in South Tangerang area.

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"There, you will see how the women in Indonesia are highly respected since there are female candidates as regional heads. This is proof that there is openness in democracy and gender," the vice president noted.

According to Kalla, the involvement of both foreign and local election observers is important as every step of democracy needs to be observed and witnessed that all is transparent and open.

This is to ensure that the rights of the community to cast their votes in the regional elections are upheld.

Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Husni Kamil Manik noted that the election participants will be able to observe how the elections in 2015 are being organized and will visit polling stations in South Tangerang.

"In this visit, we hope they will be able to give an explanation to all participants on what we have done to improve the quality of elections," Manik added.

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