Civil servants free to vote for any party

Civil servants free to vote for any party

JAKARTA (JP): Government employees are free to vote according
to their personal choice in general elections, Minister of Home
Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said yesterday.

Speaking at the commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the
Corps of Indonesian Civil Servants (Korpri), Yogie, who is also
chairman of the organization's board of patrons, said every
Korpri member has a legally protected right to voice their
political aspiration during general elections.

Yogie, however, reminded members to carefully consider their
options. He said all Korpri members should watch out for a
possible heating up of the situation in the run-up to the 1997
general elections.

"Think of the future and don't be too easily influenced by
passing situations that may look glamorous," he said.

He called on Korpri members to remain loyal, both in words or
deeds, to the organization's goals and Sapta Prasetya (the seven
pledges). The members should keep this loyalty also during the
general elections, he said.

The seven pledges require all Korpri members to commit
themselves to the welfare of the people, to the state ideology
Pancasila, and to the 1945 Constitution.

In September, Yogie was involved in a public controversy over
the issue of civil servants' freedom to vote in the general
elections. While acknowledging that there is no regulation
requiring government employees to vote for the ruling political
group, Golkar, Yogie had said that they should so.

Yesterday, however, Yogie said that the most important is that
the general election is held peacefully, smoothly, and on time.

Yogie also told the civil servants to set a good example to
the public by becoming "pioneers" of the people, firm in their
allegiance to the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945
Constitution.

Korpri has joined the ruling political organization Golkar's
election machinery in past elections, sending its members to
Golkar election rallies nationwide.

At a congress in 1994, Korpri reiterated its support for
Golkar as stated in the organization's Social, Political, and
Legal Guidelines.

Korpri is one of the three main components in the make up of
the Golkar leadership. The other two are the Armed Forces (ABRI)
and a grouping of mass organizations.

Korpri, which all civil servants must join, has more than six
million members, including two million people working at state
companies.

The two minority political parties, the United Development
Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party, have long complained
about the regulation requiring government employees to vote for
Golkar.

Yesterday, Yogie called on Korpri members not to consider the
organization as a tool of the government to control every aspect
of their lives.

"The corps should be considered as an extra-official
organization, within which the members can develop themselves,"
he said.

He also called on the corps' members not to chase money and
status in their activities as government employees.

"The nation, in the face of rapid global development, needs
the strong commitment of the corps' members to society," he said.
(imn)