Analyst warns of more money politics as election nears<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Vote buying is likely to intensify in the presidential election
\nrun-off scheduled for Sept. 20 as there will be nothing left to
\noffer to attract support, a political analyst has warned.<\/p>\n
Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia (UI) said all five
\nof the presidential candidates might have promised positions or
\nmoney in exchange for support in the July 5 poll.<\/p>\n
\"Since the positions will have all been traded before the July
\n5 poll, the candidates that contest the run-off will offer
\nmoney,\" Arbi told a discussion here on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said, however, the practice would only hamper the country's
\nattempts to achieve genuine democracy.<\/p>\n
Arbi said he believed positions in the Cabinet and the
\nbureaucracy had been traded among leaders of political parties as
\npart of their deal to forge a coalition, while money had been
\ngiven to the public in return for votes.<\/p>\n
During the presidential election campaign, some people
\nacknowledged they attended a rally for money.<\/p>\n
Fellow analyst Syamsuddin Haris from the Indonesian Institute
\nof Sciences (LIPI) said, meanwhile, the presidential campaign,
\nwhich had been going on for three weeks, was no different to the
\nlegislative campaign in March.<\/p>\n
According to Syamsuddin, the presidential candidates offered
\nonly promises without explaining how to achieve them.<\/p>\n
The five candidates to contest the poll are Wiranto of the
\nGolkar Party, Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI-P), Amien Rais of the National Mandate
\nParty (PAN), Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democratic Party and
\nHamzah Haz of the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
At different rallies the presidential candidates have made
\nsimilar promises, Syamsuddin said.<\/p>\n
\"There have been many promises during the campaign, but no one
\nhas managed to explain how to make their words come true,\"
\nSyamsuddin said.<\/p>\n
Taking an example, Syamsuddin said all presidential candidates
\nboasted they would fight corruption.<\/p>\n
The candidates, however, did not elaborate measures to
\neradicate the crime.<\/p>\n
Syamsuddin said the eradication of corruption would simply
\nremain a promise if the elected president were reluctant to
\nreshuffle the National Police, the Attorney General's Office and
\nthe judiciary.<\/p>\n
\"They all protect big corrupters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arbi added the next president would have to solve the problems
\nthe nation was currently facing, otherwise people would cease to
\nsupport him or her.<\/p>\n
He claimed that none of the five presidential candidates had
\nthe capability, integrity or competence to lead the nation out of
\nthe multidimensional crisis.<\/p>\n
\"One could say 'I will not exercise my right to vote because I
\ndo not trust them.' Politics is a matter of trust,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Despite his reservations, Syamsuddin said he would exercise
\nhis constitutional right to show his responsibility as a citizen.<\/p>\n
\"I shall vote for the candidate who has the fewest
\nweaknesses,\" he said.<\/p>",
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