Controlled election campaigns

No sooner were the government directives for the upcoming general election campaigns announced than it was attacked by academic observers as well as politicians. Representatives of the two minor parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) immediately voiced their objections. The ruling was seen as a step backwards and did not reflect any effort of democratization.

Take for instance the obligation for contestants to have their campaign speeches screened in advance, or the ruling that a moderator appointed by the General Election Institute must be present during radio and television campaign debates between contestants.

In defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs argued that the ruling was made for the precise purpose of improving the quality of the general election. The obligation for contestants to have their radio and television campaign speeches screened before they are broadcast is, according to the ministry, nothing new since the same measure was taken during previous elections. The required presence of a moderator during campaign debates is merely to ensure an orderly dialog.

We appreciate the explanation given by the Ministry of Home Affairs public relations department. To us, however, such defense is merely word play. Take for instance the explanation that the speeches will only be perused, not censored. Obviously we don't have to fall for such arguments. To us, what is important is the substance that is contained in the directives -- that is, the effort that is being made to ensure that the general election campaigns are well controlled.

As long as such attempts are made, using previous elections as a justification, it may be inferred that improving the quality of our general elections is of no concern to the Minister of Home Affairs. And if the quality of a general election is accepted as a yardstick for the quality of democracy itself, then we can only conclude that certain parties among us are content enough with the quality of our democracy as it exists at present, even though President Soeharto has repeatedly stated that the quality of the 1997 elections must be better than that of previous elections.

Actually, in this time of increased globalization, the government as executor of the general elections should utilize the available momentum to empower the election contestants and educate people in the process. Our society has changed and matured. Our people have become more intelligent. The government should have anticipated these changes by conceiving more intelligent policies.

-- Media Idonesia, Jakarta