Soeharto says election not a mere formality<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto dismissed as untrue yesterday
\ncynics' view that the coming election was a mere formality to
\nlegitimize his administration.<\/p>\n
\"The election is not a ploy by government to maintain the
\nstatus quo. It's a forum for the people to exercise their basic
\npolitical rights,\" he said in a meeting with leaders of the
\nIndonesian Ulemas' Council at the state palace.<\/p>\n
He said general elections had occurred regularly throughout
\nhis 30-year tenure, and that more than 100 million citizens would
\ngo to polling stations on May 29.<\/p>\n
The May election, his sixth as President, would be of historic
\nimportance because the elected representatives would serve into
\nthe next century, he said.<\/p>\n
People will vote for Golkar, the United Development Party
\n(PPP) or the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) whose candidates
\nwill vie for 425 seats in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The 500-seat House is dominated by Golkar, which has 282
\nseats, and the Armed Forces, which has 100 seats. But on May 29
\nthe number of seats awarded to the Armed Forces will be cut to
\n75.<\/p>\n
Critics say the election regulations favor Golkar, and that
\nthe PPP and PDI cannot win because they don't have the support of
\nthe bureaucracy or the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
Golkar is expected to win another landslide victory at this
\nelection, which some say is a mere formality for the government
\nto extend its mandate.<\/p>\n
Some groups have openly called for the public to boycott the
\nelection.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto said the people should work hard to ensure
\nthat the May election was a success \"so that the nation might
\nenter the 21st century with greater determination\".<\/p>\n
\"The people's elected representatives will endorse the
\nguidelines of state policy, elect a new president and vice
\npresident. And the heads of local government will pass bills and
\nendorse budgets.<\/p>\n
\"All this is vital for Indonesia to prepare to enter the 21st
\ncentury,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A president and vice president will be elected next March by
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly, Indonesia's highest law-
\nmaking body.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto is expected to retain his post if he agrees
\nto a nomination. Debate is raging on who will run for vice
\npresident. There has never been more than one nominee for
\npresident or vice president in the country's history.<\/p>\n
Soeharto called on the ulemas to help maintain order and make
\nthe 1997 poll and the 1998 presidential election a success.<\/p>\n
\"Creating peace and order in society are part of ulemas'
\nreligious duty,\" he said.<\/p>\n
About 90 percent of the country's 200 million people are
\nMoslem, making it the world's largest Moslem country.<\/p>\n
About 150 leaders of the ulemas council opened the annual
\nthree-day meeting Thursday night. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-says-election-not-a-mere-formality-1447893297",
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