People eager for presidential election<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Regardless of the public's suspicion that campaign promises
\nare made to be broken, Monday's legislative election was marked
\nby the high turnout of voters. Some international media hailed
\nthe election, which was contested by 24 parties, as peaceful,
\ndespite its logistical shortcomings.<\/p>\n
If people have no faith in the candidates, what compelled them
\nto vote? Why were polling stations so highly attended when many
\nvoters say that they don't expect much from the results?<\/p>\n
Indonesia is not alone in facing public cynicism toward
\npolitics but while other countries, which have a strong tradition
\nof democracy, face the same problem, their elections are poorly
\nattended.<\/p>\n
Mochtar Pabottingi, a political analyst at the Indonesian
\nInstitute of Sciences (LIPI) said people showed enthusiasm toward
\nthe legislative election and hoped that their votes would bring
\nabout change.<\/p>\n
The July 5 direct presidential election would also attract
\nvoters' interest, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The people's (optimistic) mood will likely remain ahead of
\nthe presidential election. They will vote for dedicated and clean
\npresidential candidates. Such a condition is good for democracy,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He predicted that presidential candidates from major parties
\nwould face a serious rival in Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono, the cofounder of the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
Susilo's party had earlier claimed that it would get
\nsurprising results, perhaps because many people want him to run
\nfor president.<\/p>\n
Pramono Anung Wibowo, deputy secretary-general of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) conceded on
\nTuesday that many voters had lost faith in the electoral process.<\/p>\n
\"We will accept the results as the people's choice... We will
\nbe introspective and conduct an evaluation if the party does not
\nperform as expected,\" he said.<\/p>\n
How about the voters?<\/p>\n
Residents of Pondok Cabe Udik in Pamulang, Tangerang, said
\nthat they went to polling stations in the village to elect the
\nparties who would support their favorite politicians as
\npresidential candidates.<\/p>\n
\"Otherwise, ruling parties will remain in power,\" said Djoko
\nLelono who defended the decision of some of his neighbors to
\nabstain from voting.<\/p>\n
Christina Susilowati, an employee of a private bank, hailed
\nthe election result in the village that gave a rather equal
\nvictory to the Democratic Party and the Muslim-oriented
\nProsperous Justice Party (PKS), saying that the two new parties
\nwere expected to fulfill their promises.<\/p>\n
\"Many people are not enthusiastic about the elections because
\nof the government's poor performance. But, we have to use our
\nconstitutional right to a clean and strong government,\" she said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/people-eager-for-presidential-election-1447893297",
"image": ""
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