Leaders must not abuse power: Analysts<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The upcoming legislative and presidential elections must produce
\npoliticians capable of stopping abuses of power, or else the
\npublic would lose whatever trust they still might have in the
\nreform process, analysts and a former official say.<\/p>\n
J. Kristiadi from the Centre for Strategic and International
\nStudies (CSIS) said on Wednesday that the people wanted to see
\npoliticians give up their old habits.<\/p>\n
\"If politicians continue to only be interested in serving
\ntheir own interests, the people will lose patience and all trust
\nin the reform process,\" he said during a seminar titled
\n\"Observing 2004: Safeguarding Reform, Ending Transition\", which
\nwas held here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will hold its legislative elections on April 5 and
\nfirst direct presidential election on July 5, 2004. A total of 24
\npolitical parties have been declared eligible to contest the
\nlegislative elections.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi emphasized that the success or failure of the
\nprocess of political transition would depend on the legislators
\nproduced at the next elections.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wiranto, a former chief of the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI), said that five years after the beginning of the reform
\nmovement in 1998, uncertainty continued to grip many aspects of
\nsocial and political life in the country.<\/p>\n
He said he hoped the general election would produce
\npoliticians who could put an end to these uncertainties and bring
\nprosperity to the nation.<\/p>\n
Wiranto spoke at the seminar in his capacity as a director of
\nthe Institute for Indonesian Democracy (IDe Indonesia), the
\norganizer of the seminar.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to end the current uncertainties, the nation
\nneeded to always adhere to the \"reform agenda\", and needed to
\nelect strong and competent leaders.<\/p>\n
\"To be a strong leader, one must be consistent, open and
\ncapable of ensuring stability,\" said Wiranto, who is also a
\nGolkar presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
He criticized the Presidential Elections Law for allowing
\ncandidates with only a high school education to run for the
\npresidency. \"This is a little bit biased. We need clever leaders
\nbut the law allows high school graduates to run for the
\npresidency,\" he said without elaboration.<\/p>\n
He appeared to be referring to incumbent president, Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, who failed to complete her university studies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political analyst M. Alfan Alfian of the Nasional
\nUniversity (UNAS) hailed the presence of many retired military
\nofficers in various political parties.<\/p>\n
He said that the presence of the retired military officers
\nwould improve communications between active military officers and
\ncivilian politicians.<\/p>\n
\"The retired military officers will play a role as regards
\nwhat action will be taken if the election degenerates into
\nchaos,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi said that the past five years had seen a shift in
\npolitical power from the president and the military to the House
\nof Representatives and the country's political parties.<\/p>",
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