Clearing the campaign trail
The presidential elections that are to kick off today with a month-long campaign period is an important milestone in Indonesia's history. After almost 59 years of independence, it is only now that the nation seems to have amassed enough insight and courage to try and correct the shortcomings of the old electoral system, which it had followed since the first elections in 1955, by holding a direct presidential election.
Under the old system proscribed by the 1945 Constitution, the people had no choice but to leave it to the political parties they had voted for in the general elections to select members to the House of Representatives, or DPR. Once every five years, these legislators, together with regional lawmakers and a number of appointed assemblymen, would meet as the People's Consultative Assembly, or MPR, the main duties of which consisted of drawing up the so-called guidelines of state policy and electing the president and vice president.
Obviously, under such a system the people were poorly represented, since political parties have not enjoyed the reputation of putting the nation's interests first and their own second since the pre-independence era of the 1930s.
Since the 1998 reform movement, transforming the legislature to better serve the people's interests has therefore been a key priority on the reformists' agenda. Amendments to the Constitution were made, resulting in the adoption of a direct electoral system, among other things.
Despite the many public complaints of abuse and mismanagement by both the executive and legislative branches of government -- not to mention the judiciary -- the process of democratization seems to be moving ahead, even if at a snail's pace. The hope, of course, is that the direct presidential election on July 5 will help not only to accelerate democratic and administrative reform, but will also infuse the nation with a renewed sense of optimism regarding its future.
For the immediate present, however, the foremost concern seems to be to ensure that the month-long campaigns and the July election itself proceed in peace and order, if not in a spirit of cordiality. Toward this end, a number of measures have been taken and arrangements made to make sure that calm prevails.
Over the weekend, the five candidate pairs pledged to give no cause for violence during the campaign by playing fair, refraining from "black campaigning" or mud-slinging. Three of the five also agreed to resolve all or any disputes among them by referring the matter to the Constitutional Court. The candidates also signed on Saturday a document at KPU headquarters in Central Jakarta as proof of their commitment to fair play. Such a noble intent is vital, as the presidential election deserves to be lauded, even though how things will turn out at the grassroots level remains to be seen.
The General Elections Committee (KPU) has therefore gone a step further by organizing a parade of camaraderie for the public's benefit, in which all candidates are to participate.
This joint motorcade of candidates is slated to start this morning from Medan Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, and proceed to the Semanggi cloverleaf near Senayan. From that point, the cars are to disperse to take each pair of hopefuls to their respective campaign venues.
Amid these shows of congeniality, however, the question that lingers on everybody's lips is: How great is the actual possibility of violence during the campaigns?
This possibility, of course, cannot be ruled out in toto, and several friendly countries have already issued travel warnings to their citizens, advising them to avoid traveling or staying in Indonesia during the election, unless absolutely necessary.
The people, it seems, appear to be taking things more in stead. After all, those familiar with this country's customs know that direct elections are nothing new to Indonesia, where villagers have chosen their village heads by democratic means for generations.
Of course, modern-day politics may have affected Indonesians enough over the years to alter their traditional peaceful behavior. Nevertheless, if the orderly, nonviolent general elections in April are anything to go by, it may be realistic to hope that nothing wrong will happen this time, either.