Investors eager to see free polls, Amien Rais says<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign investors are waiting for free and fair
\npolls in Indonesia, after which they expected a credible
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
A general election is scheduled for June 7.<\/p>\n
Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) who
\nreturned Friday from the World Economic Forum in Davos,
\nSwitzerland, addressed some 30,000 followers at the Senayan
\nSports Stadium in Central Jakarta in a festive inauguration
\nceremony of the party's Jakarta chapter. Traditional Betawi decor
\nand custom colored the function.<\/p>\n
Amien was in Davos at the forum on its invitation as a
\nspeaker. The forum ends Tuesday. Citing officials he said he met
\nthere, he said, "Those figures believe that foreign investors
\nwill come here in droves after a fair poll, which they expect
\nwill create a new government supported by all the people."<\/p>\n
With such hopes in restoring the economy, Amien said that
\ndespite the party's misgivings about the endorsement of the
\npolitical bills on Friday, it accepted the new bills.<\/p>\n
"PAN endorses the new political bills as long as the polls are
\nconducted freely, fairly and in a democratic manner," he said.<\/p>\n
It was the party's latest stance after it was reported on
\nSaturday to have urged President B.J. Habibie to return the bills
\nto the House of Representatives for amendment.<\/p>\n
At least, Amien added, the National Mandate Party had done its
\nbest to influence the deliberations so that the bills could meet
\npublic aspirations.<\/p>\n
Amien and other observers have said failure to conduct free
\nand fair polls would create further violence.<\/p>\n
PAN was among parties which voiced disagreement with, among
\nother things, a stipulation giving the Armed Forces 38 House
\nseats with voting rights.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Amien did not say who he met in Davos during his
\nshort stay, but reports said he had been scheduled to meet
\nUnited States' Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Stanley
\nRoth, Harvard University director and economist Jeffrey Sachs,
\nand Chris Bertram of the German Sciences and Political
\nFoundation.<\/p>\n
Among PAN's last-ditch efforts to influence the bills were a
\nhearing with legislators last Monday and a demonstration the next
\nday. In the first months of the deliberation, PAN was also among
\nmany parties who tried to influence legislators.<\/p>\n
PAN secretary-general Faisal Basri earlier said the party
\nrealized the risks of delaying the elections, but said it would
\ncontinue to voice its views in a bid to influence the
\nimplementation of the agreed pieces of legislation.<\/p>\n
Amien also stated on Sunday that the government should not
\nfeign ignorance as to who the often-cited provocateurs of recent
\nriots were and should instead arrest them. The government claims
\nit now has leads as to who the people are, but it has not
\nannounced their names. Amien also urged the government to
\ncontinue its investigation into former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"It is not a matter of hatred or revenge, but of law
\nenforcement," said Amien, adding that people might consider
\nforgiving Soeharto after he was brought to court. Calls for
\npeople to respect the 77 year old have raised fears that this
\ncould hamper the investigation of corruption and ill-gotten
\nwealth.<\/p>\n
Sunday's function was attended by Lt. Gen. A.M. Hendropriyono,
\nminister of transmigration and resettlement of forest squatters;
\nSubroto, former minister of mines and energy; historian Taufik
\nAbdullah and chairman of PAN's advisory board; Jakarta deputy
\ngovernor M. Kahfi; former Armed Forces officer Maj. Gen. (ret)
\nSoewarno Adiwidjoyo and member of the party's advisory board;
\nToety Heraty, PAN's deputy chairwoman; cultural observer Jaya
\nSuprana; and businessmen Rachmat Gobel and Setiawan Djody.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta chapter is one of PAN's 22 provincial chapters.<\/p>\n
The ceremony presented a colossal performance in which a giant
\n"octopus" symbolized the former regime and efforts by students,
\nportrayed by those from Muhammadiyah education institutions, to
\ntopple it. (01)<\/p>",
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