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Hot race in hidden gem

More than 150 million Indonesians will vote for local leaders tomorrow in regional elections called Pilkada. Yesterday, The Straits Times looked at the battle for Java, Indonesia's most populous island. Today, the focus is on East Nusa Tenggara province, home to the legendary Komodo dragons and the only one of the country's 34 provinces where Roman Catholicism, not Islam, is the predominant religion.

Farmers harvesting rice in Tarus village, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara province. Many residents in the province - Indonesia's third-poorest - hope a new government will alleviate poverty and spur economic growth in the territory. PHOTO: TEMPO

Linda Yulisman Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta

Updated

Published

Jun 26, 2018, 05:00 AM

Front runner Viktor Laiskodat and his running mate Josef Nae Soi vow to focus on tourism to spur development in the province, which is home to the legendary Komodo dragons, the world's largest living lizards.

"We will encourage tourism to be our core strength and key economic driver in East Nusa Tenggara," Mr Viktor told The Straits Times.

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