Are we ready for democracy?

Are we ready for democracy?

The President's decision (to declare the June 7 vote results
valid) is not likely to raise objections, except from the
political parties who refused to sign the document in question.
President Habibie's decision was positively greeted by leaders of
political parties who met with him on Tuesday.

However, it should have been the General Elections Commission
(KPU) to endorse the ballot's results. It was only because until
yesterday (Tuesday), the commission was unable to make the
decision which the President felt compelled to take over.

This experience makes us ask to what extent Indonesians are
actually ready for democracy -- and, even more important, to what
extent they are ready to put the public's interests above those
of their own group or people.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta