PPP criticizes Golkar, govt, political scene<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP)
\ncommemorated its 23rd anniversary yesterday, lashing out at the
\nruling Golkar, the government and the political scene in general.<\/p>\n
\"Our general elections have not been clean, honest or fair,\"
\nchairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said in an address to some 50
\nleading members.<\/p>\n
In a speech 18 pages long, Ismail blasted \"a certain political
\ncontestant\" for influencing the elections by placing its cadres
\nin the election committees at even the lowest level in regions.<\/p>\n
\"Formally, the three political contestants are excluded from
\nthe committees. All three look like they are only players,\" he
\nsaid. \"In reality, though... the only pure players are the
\npolitical parties, while the other one is a playing referee\".<\/p>\n
Ismail Hasan was clearly referring to the ruling Golkar.<\/p>\n
Indonesia recognizes three political contestants: the ruling
\nGolkar, PPP and the nationalist Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI). Both PPP and PDI are officially named political parties,
\nwhile Golkar -- whose name stands for Golongan Karya or
\nfunctional group -- does not term itself a political party.<\/p>\n
PPP charged that some civil servants, who were also cadres of
\nthis \"certain political grouping\" and posted at the committees,
\nexperienced \"great psychological pressure\" and fear for their
\nsource of livelihood if they treated the three political
\ncontestants impartially.<\/p>\n
\"They can't take a neutral stance...they forget they are the
\nservants of the country, not of that political grouping,\" he
\nsaid. \"They have lost their idealism, their conscience...\"<\/p>\n
Violations<\/p>\n
Ismail Hasan then cited a number of violations during past
\ngeneral elections, including manipulations of ballot sheets,
\nintimidation and physical threats toward PPP supporters.<\/p>\n
He said the party lodged complaints over some violations in
\nthe 1992 elections with the authorities, including the Ministry
\nof Home Affairs, but has received no response so far.<\/p>\n
\"We did not submit a book of poems for them to read, but
\ncomplaints and reports that should have been handled,\" he said
\nharshly.<\/p>\n
Ismail Hasan then demanded that the Law on General Elections
\nbe amended. \"If things stay as they are, our democracy will
\nexperience setbacks in the global age,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ismail then \"instructed\" the PPP faction at the House of
\nRepresentatives to sponsor a \"draft law on initiatives\" to amend
\nthe existing laws on general elections.<\/p>\n
The party will push for, among other things, the inclusion of
\nrepresentatives of political parties and Golkar in the two lowest
\ngeneral elections committees.<\/p>\n
It will also push for the holding of elections during
\nholidays, to avoid \"covert pressures\" on civil servants, teachers
\nand students to vote for a \"certain political contestant\".<\/p>\n
All of the 4.5 million civil servants are required to be
\nmembers of Golkar.<\/p>\n
The party will also demand that all witnesses for balloting
\nand vote counting be appointed or dismissed by the relevant
\npolitical contestants.<\/p>\n
Finally, \"there should be a mechanism\" to deal with
\nviolations, he said.<\/p>\n
\"This draft law should be able to curb violations and criminal
\nactions in the elections,\" he said. The establishment of
\n\"democratic rules, with tight sanctions, may be the way to
\ninstill shame\" in certain people, to make them hesitate before
\nthey commit violations, he said.<\/p>\n
Ismail also lashed out at government officials who have been
\nrejecting the call of PPP and PDI to include \"fair and honest\" in
\nthe principles guiding the implementation of general elections.
\nAt present, the elections are held on the principles of \"direct,
\ngeneral, free and confidential\".<\/p>\n
The complaints of PPP and PDI are long-standing. For the past
\nfive general elections, Golkar has swept the board, leaving PPP a
\ndistant second runner and PDI even farther behind.<\/p>\n
In the last election, Golkar won 68 percent of the votes, the
\nPPP 17 percent and the PDI 15 percent. Four hundred of the 500
\nseats in the House were divided accordingly. The other 100 seats
\nare reserved for ABRI, whose members do not vote.<\/p>\n
\"We are now concerned, not only because our politics are not
\nhealthy, but also because they are dehumanized,\" Ismail said.
\n\"Our politics no longer have moral values or conscience.\"<\/p>\n
\"People feel no remorse in lying, negating realities, being
\nself-righteous, claiming lies to be the truth, and justifying
\nmeans to achieve an end,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Islamic parties merged in 1973 to establish PPP. It once
\nclaimed itself an Islamic party, but later amended its stance and
\ncalled itself an \"open party\" ready to receive supporters from
\nany religious background. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppp-criticizes-golkar-govt-political-scene-1447893297",
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