Community figures should guide election

The country's first direct presidential election is approaching, while Indonesian people are learning to practice democracy. The fate of the nation for the next five years and even further, therefore, is at stake.

Does the population have the capacity, facilities, infrastructure and information needed to exercise their voting rights properly? On the other hand, can the present political system produce quality leaders? The answer is no.

In view of all this, I would like to appeal to Indonesia's community figures, so far known for their integrity and moral principles, to play an active part in this very decisive phase.

These figures should make analyses of the existing presidential candidates as a guide for ordinary people to choose rightly, without reducing their freedom.

OJAHAN M. OPPUSUNGGU, Jakarta