Use your vote<\/p>\n
Despite grievous problems in the procurement and distribution
\nof election requirements by the General Elections Commission
\n(KPU) and the flawed registration of voters by the Central
\nStatistics Agency (BPS), about 147 million voters will today
\n(Monday) go to nearly 600,000 polling stations throughout the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
For many Indonesians, voting is not only a political right.
\nThey also go to the polling stations to fulfill their perceived
\nresponsibility to society, or at least to their neighborhoods. In
\na hangover from the nation's authoritarian past, many feel uneasy
\nif they are asked by their neighbors why they did not vote.<\/p>\n
Voting day has become a quinquennial event in society. That is
\none of the reasons why voter turnouts are usually high in the
\ncountry regardless of whether voters really use their right to
\nvote or deliberately decide to spoil their ballots.<\/p>\n
Today's legislative elections are part of an at least two-
\nround electoral process. On July 5, the country will hold its
\nfirst direct presidential election, and if no candidate wins a
\nsimple majority then a runoff will be held on Sept. 20. In
\nOctober, a new government is expected to be in place.<\/p>\n
It is indeed regrettable that there are so many people who
\ncannot exercise their constitutional right to vote in this
\nlegislative election, either because they were not registered by
\nthe BPS, or because they failed to receive their voter cards
\nbecause of administrative flaws in the KPU administration.<\/p>\n
During the 22-day legislative election campaign, which ended
\non April 1, the public generally tended to be indifferent to the
\npromises made by the 24 political parties and the candidates for
\nthe Regional Representatives Council (DPD). The very slow
\nprogress achieved by the administration of Abdurrahman Wahid, who
\ngoverned the country for nearly two years from October 1999, and
\nthe administration of Megawati Soekarnoputri, who replaced
\nAbdurrahman in July 2001, has truly disappointed many people.<\/p>\n
Voters will cast their ballots against a gloomy backdrop of a
\nslow-growing economy, continually increasing unemployment, and
\nworsening corruption and ineffectuality in law enforcement.
\nNaturally many voters distrust, or at the very least have little
\nconfidence in, the 24 political parties and their legislative
\ncandidates at the national, provincial and regental\/municipal
\nlevels.<\/p>\n
Despite all the discouraging signs, we must nevertheless
\nremember that Indonesia is now at a critical stage of confirming
\nits newly won position as the world's third largest democracy
\nafter India and the United States.<\/p>\n
The international community is also closely watching us due to
\nthis country's position as the world's most populous, majority
\nMuslim nation. There are major doubts, especially among western
\ncountries, about whether a predominantly Muslim country can also
\nadopt universally accepted democratic values.<\/p>\n
Indonesia now has the task of proving that Islam is not a
\nbarrier, and could even be an advantage, in achieving full and
\nreal democracy. And we also need to remind the international
\ncommunity that whatever the voters decide about the future
\ndirection of the country, it will be a final decision by the
\npeople as the ultimate stakeholders.<\/p>\n
Therefore, we call on the nation's voters to go to the polling
\nstations today. The future of the country will be greatly
\ndetermined by their decision in these elections. Voting in
\nIndonesia is not an obligation like in Australia, but a right.
\nHowever pessimistic voters are about the country's situation,
\nthis election is still of the utmost importance for the country's
\nfuture direction.<\/p>\n
People are free to vote or not to vote. But those who refuse
\nto use their right to vote may be perceived as having less
\ncredibility in complaining about the future government or the
\ncourse of the state. Some say that abstaining or spoiling one's
\nballot is an irresponsible act, especially if those who do so
\ncontinue to criticize the public's choice of leaders. Worse, the
\nfailure to vote could even benefit those political parties that
\nare often described as \"rotten\" as it would mean less votes for
\nthe newer, rival parties.<\/p>\n
Let us use our constitutional right to vote, through which we
\ncan punish the parties that have disappointed the nation and give
\na chance to those parties that we still believe can improve the
\nlot of the country regardless of how small their chances. Despite
\nall the gloom surrounding us, we still have a chance to end the
\ncountry's prolonged economic and political catastrophe by
\nexercising our right to vote.<\/p>\n
We have strong grounds for being optimistic that the elections
\nwill pass off in a peaceful and orderly manner as the 22-day
\ncampaign period was in general also peaceful and orderly.<\/p>\n
Let us go the polls and follow our consciences in deciding to
\nwhich parties and candidates we will entrust the sacred mandate
\nto govern.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/use-your-vote-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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