A feast with distinction

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.