Controlled election campaigns

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