Yogie gives guarantees on 'honest and fair' election<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. gave
\nhis word yesterday that the general election next year would be
\n\"honest and fair\", although the election rules do not specify
\nthis.<\/p>\n
Yogie, who heads the General Elections Institute, said the
\n\"direct, free, open and secret balloting\" principle stated in the
\nrules implied that elections would be honest and fair.<\/p>\n
\"This principle may look simple but it is actually very
\ncomplex,\" he told a meeting of some 400 government prosecutors
\nwho have been assigned to the election's Committee for
\nSupervision and Implementation.<\/p>\n
\"But that doesn't mean the principle cannot be upheld,\" he
\nsaid, adding that the committee would need a strong will to
\nrealize the principle.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), which will contest the May election
\nagainst the mighty Golkar, have requested the authorities to
\ninsert the phrases \"honest and fair\" and \"direct, open, fair and
\nsecret\" in the election rules.<\/p>\n
The two minority parties said that past elections had been far
\nfrom fair and honest and that many violations went unpunished.<\/p>\n
Yogie explained yesterday that \"honest and fair\" were much
\nmore difficult to quantify objectively than \"direct, open, fair
\nand secret\" because they have emotional connotations.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Singgih, who addressed the forum yesterday,
\nreiterated that the government would not permit the Independent
\nElection Monitoring Committee (KIPP), set up last March, to
\ninterfere with the work of the election institute.<\/p>\n
Each polling booth would already be staffed by witnesses
\nappointed by Golkar, PPP and PDI, he said.<\/p>\n
\"They (KIPP) can monitor the polling stations with
\nbinoculars,\" Singgih said smiling.<\/p>\n
The independent committee, formed by a group of government
\ncritics, has received strong support from the two minority
\nparties and the public despite the government's refusal to
\nrecognize it.<\/p>\n
The electoral rules do not recognize the existence of
\nindependent organizations outside the official structure, Singgih
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Singgih also said that a new set of election campaign rules
\nwas being drafted and would be announced in December in the form
\nof a presidential decree.<\/p>\n
Soeharto last month asked the National Council for Defense and
\nSecurity to review the current campaign regulations and then
\ndraft new regulations that guarantee greater security and public
\norder. (16)<\/p>",
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