A feast with distinction

Whatever one may think of the May 29 general election -- or "feast of democracy", as officials fondly call it -- there is no denying that it will be unlike any previous election, and not just because of its crucial nature or huge cost.

In the run-up to past elections, speculation has always centered on how big a margin would the ruling Golkar party win by. And win, it certainly would. But by what percentage of votes? If it was much lower than 70 percent, one could expect changes in regional bureaucracies where Golkar losses occurred.

Voter turnout was much less topical. Since the aggressive drive by both government officials and election contestants to discourage abstention from the polls among a largely under- educated population, a high turnout of around 90 percent of the voting-age population has always been assured.

"Golput" followers -- those who prefer not to use their right to vote as a way to express dissatisfaction with the system -- were a small minority and, therefore, considered more or less harmless.

But this year, something unusual is happening. The fundamental question which people are asking themselves no longer concerns Golkar's winning margin but by how much will the number of people exercising the Golput option grow?

Although a high turnout is still expected, this question is far from irrelevant. On the contrary, the plethora of official warnings that encouraging people not to vote is "unconstitutional" and punishable by law proves that those in charge of the elections are very much concerned about this year's Golput "vote".

And not without reason. Several polls held in parts of Java indicate that the number of Golput followers has grown substantially over the past five years, especially among young and better-educated voters, including, presumably, many of the 20 million first-time voters. Disillusion with the system is supposedly a major reason for this.

A second question that is very much on people's minds concerns Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). The only major policy statement she has made in connection with the general election campaign has instructed her followers not to campaign.

But a far more relevant question remains unanswered: What will she tell her followers to do when balloting begins? It is well known that Megawati still has much support among the PDI's grass roots members and sympathizers. Her word is expected to help decide whether they will take part in this year's "feast of democracy". In other words, her final stance regarding the election will help determine the size of the Golput vote.

Many observers see her silence as a smart move which, if nothing else, increases her political stature. Honestly, one must admit that this is among the most intriguing questions. And millions are waiting for an answer.

There are, of course, other interesting aspects of this year's election. There is, for example, the unrest and incidents which preceded the campaign period. In addition, segments of the Nahdtlatul Ulama Moslem organization have publicly declared they will boycott the election. Then, there are acts of daring defiance in the streets and in court by young dissidents.

All this means that fundamental changes have occurred in Indonesian society. We believe, though, that there is little to worry about as long as we understand that the developments around us are caused by successful development.

The important thing to do in coming years is to recognize that these new ideas and aspirations must be accommodated. As long as we can muster the wisdom to make the necessary adjustments -- adjustment, after all, is a natural companion to growth -- we are confident that this phase will lead to a better tomorrow.