Elections will be held next year: Habibie<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie spelled out for the first
\ntime yesterday his promise that Indonesia would hold a free and
\ndemocratic general election next year to enable it to have a new
\npresident and democratically elected government.<\/p>\n
The government will also allow people to establish new
\npolitical parties as long as they are not against the state
\nideology Pancasila or the 1945 Constitution, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Insya Allah (God willing) the poll can be conducted next year
\nbecause we will need about six months to draw up new (election)
\nlaws,\" Habibie said in a meeting with the leaders of the
\nIndonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) at the Bina Graha presidential
\noffice.<\/p>\n
\"If we want to do something, we must do it as well as
\npossible, it would be better than achieving something rapidly but
\nin ways which are wrong,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Habibie also pointed out the necessity of limiting a
\npresident's time in office to two terms.<\/p>\n
On the establishment of new political parties, Habibie said:
\n\"In principle, we do not want to restrict the number, and anyone
\ncan set up a new party.\"<\/p>\n
Several groups have declared the establishment of new
\npolitical parties. Some observers cautioned that too many parties
\nwould render opposition movements ineffective.<\/p>\n
Habibie, however, suggested the problem could be resolved by
\ndrawing up a law requiring a party to get a certain number of
\nseats in the House or otherwise merge with other parties.<\/p>\n
\"The law will determine the minimum percentage of votes a
\nparty has to get in the poll,\" Habibie noted.<\/p>\n
The Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Harmoko and
\nthe President agreed Thursday to hold an extraordinary session of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the end of this year
\nor early next year, with the agenda to set a new poll date.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, however, declined to mention the exact schedule of
\nthe new poll and just said that it would be held as soon as
\npossible.<\/p>\n
Opposition groups and student leaders denounced the plan as
\nbeing too vague, and too slow to meet their wishes. Some students
\nalso said the extraordinary session should force former president
\nSoeharto to account for his rule.<\/p>\n
The government and the House will finish their reviews of the
\nfive political laws -- which cover mass organizations, the role
\nand function of the House and the Assembly, political parties and
\nGolkar, regional administrations and elections -- within this
\nsix-month period.<\/p>\n
\"We are truly carrying out reform programs; total reform, but
\nnot anarchic or violent reforms,\" Habibie stressed.<\/p>\n
The president, sworn in to replace Soeharto last Thursday,
\nalso expressed his concern over the recent riots which claimed
\nhundreds of lives and caused huge losses for the people.<\/p>\n
\"I have just met with two organizations of ordinary people and
\nstreet vendors. They said they did not have any objection about
\nwho became ministers or president. What's important for them is a
\npeaceful life and honest earnings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, approximately 200 students of Sarjana Wiyata Taman
\nSiswa University and Foreign Language Academy in Yogyakarta held
\na peaceful demonstration to demand the trial of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"Take Soeharto to court and seize his wealth,\" the students
\nwrote on their posters.<\/p>\n
Police paid little attention to their protest. (23\/prb)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/elections-will-be-held-next-year-habibie-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }