Jakarta. There was strong international interest in the second round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election, with 29 embassies having sent delegations to directly observe the voting process on Wednesday (19/04).

The delegations, which were embedded with General Elections Commission (KPU) teams, sought to witness and learn about regional elections in Indonesia.

It is the third time the KPU put together such a program, with the previous being during the simultaneous regional elections in the capital and various provinces and districts around the country on Feb. 15.

The KPU set up three teams to observe the election in the capital on Wednesday.

One of the foreign dignitaries was Sri Lankan Ambassador Damas Parera, who was embedded with a team led by KPU chairman Arief Budiman.

The team visited polling four stations, among them those at a subsidized apartment complex in Kampung Pulo in Bidara Cina, East Jakarta; the Pondok Bambu Women's Penitentiary in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta; and Cipto Mangunkusumo State Hospital on Jalan Pangeran Diponegoro in Senen, Central Jakarta.

"The Indonesian people is so democratic, full of respects with the process of democracy," Ambassador Parera said. "What we see today is a reflection of democracy in this country."

He thanked the KPU for allowing his team to witness the election.