Election jitters<\/p>\n
With 17 days remaining in the countdown to the election
\ncampaign, the country is already gripped with election fever. The
\ncampaign does not officially begin until April 27, but the
\npreparations by the three groups contesting in the May 29 general
\nelection and the extensive media coverage given to their
\nactivities have heightened the political temperature in this
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Whether intended or not, these preparations often smack of
\nelectioneering. The line dividing preparations and campaigning is
\nbecoming thinner as the election campaign period nears. Some of
\nthe jitters, unfortunately, have turned into violence, as we have
\nseen in Pekalongan and a number of other towns in Central Java.<\/p>\n
Everybody is involved in politicking these days.<\/p>\n
The anniversary parties of the United Development Party (PPP)
\nin some towns in Java, held three months after the actual
\nanniversary date, are clearly designed to make a maximum impact
\non voters close to the election date. The Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI) has been doing the same, although with lesser
\nintensity.<\/p>\n
The \"paint-it-yellow' campaign in Surakarta and other Central
\nJava cities, and the ensuing \"color war\" by the three contestants
\nin the province are sources of election jitters. The erection of
\nparty flags and banners in strategic spots in various towns, and
\nthe removal by their opponents, is another source.<\/p>\n
And there are the highly publicized meetings by Siti
\nHardiyanti Rukmana, Golkar's deputy chairperson and eldest
\ndaughter of President Soeharto, with supporters of the Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU) in rural Central Java and East Java. PPP chairman
\nIsmail Hasan Metareum has accused NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid
\nof trying to \"deflate\" PPP ahead of the election, by bringing
\nHardiyanti to areas that have been strongholds of PPP.<\/p>\n
The security forces are commendable for showing tolerance and
\nrestraint in the face of this politicking. To stop or intervene
\nin these activities when the nation is gripped with election
\nfever could be construed as depriving people of their democratic
\nrights or preventing election contestants from reaching out to
\ntheir supporters. The task of the security forces is to ensure
\nthat these activities do not get out of hand and that everyone
\nplays by the rules. Only when these activities threaten to
\ndisrupt peace, should they move in to preempt violence.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, this is easier said than done. Predicting where
\nviolence will erupt next is difficult. Ultimately, it is the
\nleaders of the three election contestants who should control
\ntheir supporters.<\/p>\n
The outbreak of violence in Pekalongan that we have seen these
\npast three weeks had its origins in the contest for territorial
\ncontrol between Golkar and PPP. It began when Golkar, with the
\nsupport of local authorities, replaced the flags and banners of
\nPPP with Golkar's own. To cap PPP's anger, Golkar brought in one
\nof its popular \"vote getters\", famous Dang Dut singer Rhoma
\nIrama, to perform in a Golkar meeting. Rhoma, a one-time PPP
\ncampaigner, has switched allegiance to the dominant political
\ngroup and is running for a seat in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The PPP has washed its hands of the Pekalongan violence and
\nthe authorities have refrained from squarely blaming PPP for the
\nriots. But there is no denying that Golkar and PPP created the
\ntension in the first place that eventually led to the violence.<\/p>\n
Local authorities, too, have had a hand in creating some of
\nthe tension, by playing favoritism. This was apparent in
\nPekalongan, and was blatant in Surakarta when they launched the
\n\"paint-it-yellow\" campaign.<\/p>\n
As we enter a delicate period in the run up to the May 29
\nelection, the Pekalongan violence has left us wondering whether
\nthis is a taste of things to come. We certainly hope not. But
\nthis means everyone involved, the contesting parties and local
\nadministrations, must act responsibly and refrain from actions
\nthat could give rise to violence. The election system and the
\nrules that the contestants have agreed upon may contain
\nimperfections and shortcomings, but they must be fully observed
\nif the nation wants to prevent the election from turning into
\nviolence.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/election-jitters-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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