Post-election Indonesian prospects<\/p>\n
When former president Soeharto ruled Indonesia general
\nelections were staged like clockwork every five years with the
\nresults known well in advance. It is a measure of how much things
\nhave changed that there is still no final result from the poll
\nthree weeks ago.<\/p>\n
With little over half the vote counted the broad outlines are
\nclear. The secular nationalist Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) of Megawati Soekarnoputri is out in
\nfront with about 36 percent, followed by the ruling Golkar Party
\non 18.5 percent. The National Awakening Party (PKB) of
\nAbdurrahman Wahid is on 18 percent.<\/p>\n
It is difficult to imagine the presidency could be awarded to
\nanyone other than Megawati. The fact that Megawati and (Muslim
\nleader Abdurrahman) Wahid are in loose alliance gives her an
\nadded advantage.<\/p>\n
Such an alliance would give Indonesia a government with three
\nimportant characteristics. First it would have a strong grounding
\nin Java. Second it would be a government which, while committed
\nto reform, would be in no hurry to overturn the existing social
\nand economic order. Finally it would be a government distinctly
\nwary of modernist Islam.<\/p>\n
-- The Sydney Morning Herald<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/post-election-indonesian-prospects-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }