Assuring fair elections<\/p>\n
Barring unforeseen obstacles, it now seems that Indonesia is
\npretty well on its way toward holding its next general election
\nas scheduled -- more or less. That, certainly, is cause for
\nsatisfaction, given the widespread fears -- \"suspicions\" might be
\na better word -- of deliberate stalling at certain points by
\ncertain factions during the debates in the House of
\nRepresentatives in previous months.<\/p>\n
At present two major political draft bills at least -- one on
\nthe general (legislative) election itself and another on the
\npolitical party system -- have become law. It remains now for the
\nnational legislature to pass two more laws -- on the election of
\nthe country's president and vice president and on the composition
\nof the House of Representatives (DPR), the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) and the Regional Representative Council (DPD).<\/p>\n
So, on paper at least, things appear to be going pretty much
\nas scheduled. In reality, though, the task ahead is still a tough
\none, tougher perhaps than the job that has already been done, and
\none that needs our fullest attention if the upcoming general and
\npresidential elections next year are to throw off the maximum
\nbenefit for the growth of democracy in this country.<\/p>\n
First, there is the fact to consider that all parties involved
\n-- the major political parties, the government and the General
\nElections Committee (KPU) -- seem agreed that it would be best to
\nhold the general election in either March or early in April next
\nyear at the latest. The point is that by Oct. 20 next year the
\nincumbent president and vice president will have ended their
\nterms in office and must be replaced.<\/p>\n
That means that not only must the two remaining draft laws on
\nthe political system be deliberated and passed without delay;
\nbetween the government, the legislature and KPU a host of
\ntechnical details must be worked out and implemented. A census
\nmust be held and voters registered. Political parties and their
\ncandidates for the various legislative bodies must have their
\nqualifications verified and listed. Ballots must be printed and
\nballot boxes provided. Voting booths must be set up and the
\nnecessary personnel, etcetera, etcetera.<\/p>\n
If all that looks like child's play, consider that for that
\npurpose about 60 different regulations and decrees must be
\ndrafted and implemented -- not so easy a task in a democracy in
\nthe process of learning, as Indonesians well know from recent
\nexperience. And let us not forget that Indonesia is the largest
\narchipelagic country in the world, comprising, at the latest
\ncount, some 18,000 islands. In all, 16 different steps must be
\nnegotiated, from voter registration to the announcement of the
\ncountry's new legislators and president- and vice president-
\nelect.<\/p>\n
Despite it all, Indonesians, and probably also the
\ninternational community, have the highest expectations from next
\nyear's general election. For that reason, and even more
\nimportantly for the good of the future of democracy in this
\ncountry, no effort should be spared to ensure that the elections
\nwill be truly fair and democratic -- a true \"feast of democracy\",
\nin fact, whose quality and credibility is not in doubt.<\/p>\n
To ensure that kind of quality and credibility, voter
\ninvolvement in the whole process must be assured from beginning
\nto end. That means, among other things, that voters must be fully
\ninformed about the procedures involved, their rights and
\nresponsibilities, and the candidates they might possibly vote
\nfor.<\/p>\n
All that obviously takes money, a commodity that is currently
\nin short supply in Indonesia. The last general election, in 1999,
\nmay serve as an example. Not only had the government to reach
\ndeep into the state coffers for that event, the international
\ncommunity also helped, through assistance from the UN Development
\nProgram. No such help will be available this time.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, while the 1999 general election involved only a
\nsingle stage -- the election of members of the House of
\nRepresentatives and the People's Consultative Assembly -- the
\nupcoming election in 2004 will be held in two stages: The first
\nto elect the national legislature, and the second to elect the
\npresident and vice president. That, needless to say, means an
\ninflated budget.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, a limited budget must not prevent us from
\nassuring that the 2004 elections -- both legislative and
\npresidential -- will be truly fair and credible. The only way we
\ncan make sure that will happen is by assuring transparency in the
\nuse of the available money. Judging by the state of affairs in
\nboth our bureaucracy and our society, that may not be an easy
\ntask to accomplish.<\/p>\n
Yet, the course of democracy and development of civil society
\nin this country will be determined to a large extent by the
\nquality and credibility of the upcoming elections. We owe it to
\nour children and grandchildren to make sure that theirs will be a
\nbetter country to live in than it is at present.<\/p>",
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