Transsexuals in Yogyakarta to Abstain from Voting
Thursday, 02 July, 2009 | 13:10 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Yogyakarta: Around 350 transsexuals in Yogyakarta have agreed to abstain from voting in the presidential election on July 8.

They consider that none of the presidential candidates include them on their programs.

“None of them fight for us. It is better to abstain,” Head of the Yogyakarta Transsexual Family (Kebaya), Vinolia Wakijo, told Tempo, on Wednesday (1/7).

Vinolia explained that the idea to abstain came about after watching the debate among presidential candidates on television.

“We are also human beings as well as citizens of Indonesia,” said Vinolia.

Communities have been discriminating against them, even during the legislative election.

Fifty transsexuals in Yogyakarta could not vote in the legislative election as they had problems in gaining their identity cards.

The procedure was complicated as many of them could not show a family certificate.

“We wish to sit down together and have a dialog. If there were one candidate fighting for us, then we’ll vote,” said Vinolia.

PITO AGUSTIN RUDIANA