The right to vote<\/p>\n
From Koran Tempo<\/p>\n
The 2004 general election is still one and a half years away
\nand the electoral law is still under discussion at the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Every citizen enjoys the right to vote for one of the 237
\npolitical parties in this country. It is also a citizen's right
\nnot to vote for any of these political parties, or in other
\nwords, to put himself or herself in the category of the "White
\nGroup" (so called because the citizen, instead of voting for a
\nparticular political party by marking the appropriate symbol of
\nthe party on the ballot paper, simply marks his\/her choice on the
\nplain part of the ballot paper).<\/p>\n
It is regrettable that some citizens fail to exercise their
\nright in elections. Some say people in this "White Group" lack
\nself-confidence.<\/p>\n
The "White Group" is now an interesting topic of discussion as
\nit is still polemical in nature. Some say that if a citizen
\npersuades another citizen to refrain from exercising his\/her
\nright in a general election, a sanction will be imposed. Others
\nbelieve that it is the right of every Indonesian citizen to
\nexercise or not to exercise this right.<\/p>\n
A final decision has yet to be made concerning this matter
\nbecause the political parties represented in the House have their
\nown interests to pursue.<\/p>\n
I believe that it is purely a citizen's right to exercise or
\nnot to exercise his\/her right to vote for a political party in a
\ngeneral election. No sanctions, therefore, should be imposed on
\nthose deciding not to exercise this right. As Indonesians are now
\nlearning to practice democracy, every citizen is expected to
\nexercise this right as best they can. However, all this must be
\nleft up to every citizen at election time.<\/p>\n
SRI WULANDARI, Depok, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-right-to-vote-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }