Catholics welcome their bishop's election message<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Bishops Council of Indonesia's recent
\nstatement encouraging Indonesian Catholics to go to the polls on
\nMay 29 and exercise their political right has received a warm
\nwelcome from devotees.<\/p>\n
Some of the Catholics interviewed by The Jakarta Post said
\nthey did not feel obliged to support any particular party because
\nthe statement also said they were free to vote as they wished.<\/p>\n
Djoko Rahwidiharto, a State Secretariat employee, said the
\nmessage served as a morale booster for him to go to the polling
\nbooth near his home in Cidodol, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A student at a private university, Willy, said he believed the
\ncouncil just wanted the Catholic community to know that they had
\nthe right to either vote or not vote.<\/p>\n
\"I will use the right not because I'm afraid of pressures but
\nbecause I have a moral responsibility to vote as the bishops
\nsay,\" the 23-year-old student said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The message signed by council chairman Cardinal Julius
\nDarmaatmaja was read out in churches all over the country during
\nmasses on Feb. 23.<\/p>\n
It said Catholics would not be sinning if they did not
\nexercise their right to vote if they felt no political group
\nwould channel their aspirations. In situations where they had to
\nvote, they should do so and consider voting as an option with the
\nleast disadvantage, the council suggested.<\/p>\n
The election, the sixth held since 1971, is scheduled for May
\n29. The dominant political group Golkar is competing against the
\nUnited Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party for
\n425 seats in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
A housewife who asked for anonymity admitted the message would
\ninspire her to go to the polling booth, although she said she
\nplanned to punch for all three political groups, a decision which
\nwould invalidate her ballot.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not comfortable with any of the three contestants,\" she
\nsaid. \"Nothing has changed (all these years) even though I took
\npart in the last two elections. Neither will I expect any changes
\nto occur after the upcoming election.<\/p>\n
\"Which one should I vote for if I don't have any
\nexpectations?\" the 37-year-old mother said.<\/p>\n
Ignatius Loyolla Djangoen, an employee of a state-owned bank,
\nsaw the message as a public reminder of the existing law which
\nguarantees the freedom to vote and the absence of sanctions
\nagainst those who refuse to do so.<\/p>\n
\"The bishops council calls on us to think seriously before we
\ndecide on our choice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Djoko, a 30-year-old Catholic, said that the message had given
\nhim legitimacy to abide by the norms shared by the institution he
\naffiliates to. As an employee of a state agency, Djoko is a
\nmember of the Civil Servants Corps and therefore obligated to
\nvote for Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"I will vote voluntarily because I have assessed the risks.
\nIt's fine to suffer a little bit of pain for the sake of a lot
\nmore gain. By taking part in the general election I can at least
\nhelp my community survive and grow.\"<\/p>\n
Djangoen agreed with Djoko, expressing the belief that the
\nbishops council's message was a reminder that as Indonesian
\ncitizens, the Catholic community remains free to vote or not.<\/p>\n
\"But when it comes to moral responsibility, I would feel
\nguilty about not doing anything once in five years.<\/p>\n
\"I exercised my right in the last three elections. It was
\nworth doing because I am free to work and practice my beliefs,\"
\nsaid Djangoen, a leader of a Catholic neighborhood in Ciledug,
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Willy, a Catholic youth organization activist, denied the
\nbishops council's call had encouraged him to boycott the
\nelection. He admitted, however, that it would be difficult for
\nhim to choose between the three political groups. (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/catholics-welcome-their-bishops-election-message-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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