A fair general election essential

The general election which will be held around the middle of May next year won't be like any other so far held in the country. It certainly won't be like any of the six we experienced under the New Order regime.

The general election that will be held in 1999 must be one that conforms to the objectives and demands of the reform movement -- that is to say, it must be truly democratic, honest and fair.

This shift in quality and posture is of central and decisive importance. Frankly, we must ask ourselves whether everyone concerned is aware of the importance of ensuring that the election is truly democratic.

The new law on general elections must ensure that the old restrictions and political practices -- which Dr. Riswandha Imawan from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta referred to as "monolithic, monopolitical and exclusive" -- no longer exist. The entire process must be open and fair.

A democratic general election must grant an equal opportunity to all participating political organizations. But what does this entail?

Essentially, guaranteeing an equal opportunity for all participants concerns matters of financing and the distribution of financial resources, providing facilities to ensure mobility during the campaigning period and ensuring a synchronous start to campaigning. Disregarding these essentials could give rise to the practice of money politics and a feeling of injustice.

Cambodia is an example of what might happen if this is allowed to take place in Indonesia. The vote may not bring either a sense of relief or political legitimacy. Rather, it could prolong discord, disorder and conflict.

The conditions that we are currently experiencing in Indonesia call for the staging of a general election that is honest and fair and fulfills the essentials of a democratic election.

-- Kompas, Jakarta