INDONESIA ELECTION EYE - Presidential debates to take new format

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is seeking re-election this year, speaks during a campaign rally in Solo June 29, 2009.

JAKARTA (Reuters) - The following is a snapshot of recent developments in Indonesia's presidential election campaign ahead of voting on July 8.

Three presidential-vice presidential teams are running: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his deputy, former central bank governor Boediono; former President Megawati Sukarnoputri and her deputy, Prabowo Subianto; and Vice President Jusuf Kalla and his deputy, Wiranto.

The source of each report is in brackets.

ELECTION COMMISSION CHANGES DEBATE FORMAT

* The General Elections Commission (KPU) will change the format of the last presidential debate, due to take place on Thursday evening, to encourage a more dynamic discussion.

The entire debate will be given over to questions and answers, a change from previous debates where the candidates read out statements to the audience. (Media Indonesia, Jakarta Post, Jakarta Globe, Bisnis Indonesia)

KALLA'S CAMPAIGN TEAM ASKS FOR ELECTION TO BE POSTPONED

* A spokesman for Jusuf Kalla's campaign team said the presidential election should be postponed one month because the General Elections Commission is not neutral.

The request followed complaints about some of the posters and flyers that the KPU has used to inform voters how to cast their ballots and which showed a tick in the box for team 2, which is the Yudhoyono-Boediono team. (Media Indonesia)

ELECTION TO GO AHEAD ON JULY 8 - KPU

* The head of the KPU, Abdul Hafiz Anshary, said the July 8 presidential election will go ahead as scheduled. He responded the remarks by Din Syamsuddin, chairman of Muslim group Muhammadiyah, who said that incomplete preparations regarding the voters lists may delay the election. (Jakarta Post)

PARLIAMENT FINDS 49 MLN UNREGISTERED VOTERS

* A parliamentary committee has found that around 49 million people in several regions including East Java, Papua, and Sulawesi have not been registered on the voters lists for the forthcoming presidential election, committee member Eva Kusuma Sundari said. (Jakarta Post)