Vote for credible leaders: Megawati<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite a lack of promising national leaders to contest the 2004
\ndirect presidential election, President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nhas urged Indonesians to exercise their right to vote in the
\npolls.<\/p>\n
In her year-end speech on Wednesday, she said the upcoming
\nelection was a milestone for the country's more democratic future
\nand that the public should play its part to the full.<\/p>\n
\"I know that it is not easy to choose credible leaders, but no
\nmatter how difficult it is, the public should make their choices
\nwith full awareness,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
\"The public should also understand that their choices will
\naffect the country's policies, and, as a consequence, they have
\nto abide by decisions (produced in the future),\" she added.<\/p>\n
In her state address, the President also reminded people to
\ncarefully evaluate legislative and presidential candidates
\nnominated by political parties in the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
She said that the upcoming elections were the time for the
\npublic to reclaim their mandate in order to be the sole
\ndeterminant of the country's future.<\/p>\n
\"You should remember that the fate of the country is in your
\nhands, so choose those who can lead the country to a better and
\nmore secure future,\" Megawati said.<\/p>\n
The country will hold its first-ever direct presidential
\nelection this year in two rounds -- the first on July 5 and the
\nsecond on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
It will be preceded by the general election on April 25, to
\nelect legislators nominated by 24 political parties that were
\nrecently declared eligible to contest the polls.<\/p>\n
However, concern is growing that many Indonesians will not
\nexercise their voting right in the elections due to an absence of
\nsuitable and prominent leaders to vote for.<\/p>\n
Megawati is determined to seek reelection through the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, challenging other
\npresidential candidates like People's Consultative Assembly
\nSpeaker Amien Rais, former president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid,
\nex-military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto and others.<\/p>\n
She has drawn frequent condemnation from her own supporters
\nand many others who are extremely disappointed at her poor
\nleadership in running the country.<\/p>\n
Several surveys have indicated a decrease in support for
\nMegawati in the upcoming elections, as critics have accused her
\nof practicing authoritarian rule.<\/p>\n
Megawati added she was optimistic that the coming year would
\nbring a better future for the country, although a lot of problems
\nremained unresolved.<\/p>\n
She said that with the recent establishment of the Corruption
\nEradication Commission the nation should hope for an end to
\ngraft, blamed for the country's prolonged crisis.<\/p>\n
\"The commission has full authority to eradicate corruption. We
\nmust support and help its members in carrying out their duties,\"
\nthe President said.<\/p>\n
However, analysts and activists lost hope for the commission
\nafter several favorite candidates, including Marsilam Simanjuntak
\nand Bambang Widjojanto, were excluded as members.<\/p>\n
Megawati also said the suspended plan to establish a truth and
\nreconciliation commission would be another breakthrough in
\nresolving some long-standing political problems.<\/p>\n
\"We need such a commission so we can move forward and bury the
\nhatchet,\" she said.<\/p>",
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