Don't sacrifice unity for votes, Soeharto says

Don't sacrifice unity for votes, Soeharto says

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto told political parties not to
sacrifice national unity for the sake of popular votes in general
elections.

"Do not sacrifice national unity only because you want victory
in general elections for your own grouping," he said yesterday.

He was speaking at the induction of the General Election's
Advisory Council, Organizing Committee, and the Central
Inspection Board of the Organizing Committee.

Soeharto said that the election was not in itself an end but a
means to adjust government policies to the wishes of the people,
with whom sovereignty rests.

"The number of votes an organization receives in the election
is also not the final goal, but merely a instrument in the long
history of our nation," he said at the State Palace yesterday.

The 28-members of the Organizing Committee comprises
representatives from both the government and the three political
groupings--Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Eight cabinet ministers along with Armed Forces Commander Gen.
Feisal Tanjung are members of the Committee, which is chaired by
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.

Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman and Minister of Information
Harmoko are vice chairmen of the Committee.

Oetojo was also selected as chairman of the Advisory Council.

Attorney General Singgih was sworn in as chairman of the
Central Inspection Board of the Organizing Committee which
comprises 16-members.

Soeharto yesterday called on the parties' representatives to
maintain close relationships with the leaders of their own
organizations. This way, "you can bring their complaints...to
these bodies for examination to be resolved", Soeharto said.

Indonesia is due to have its seventh general election in
1997.

Golkar, currently chaired by Harmoko, has swept all six
elections held during the New Order period.

In the 1992 elections Golkar won 68 percent of the popular
votes and received 282 of the 400 seats in the House of
Representatives.

An estimated 120-million voters should be eligible to vote in
the 1997 general elections.

Soeharto reminded people of the significance of the 1997
general elections, which will be the first to be held during the
country's second phase of long-term development plan.

The implementation of the development plan, he pointed out,
will be conducted in an age marked by stiff competitions among
countries.

"If we are unable to use all of our national potential,
especially in economic fields, sooner or later we will be forced
to step aside," he said.

"Don't forget that economic adversity always has political
implications," Soeharto remarked.

Though it has now become a routine five-year event, Soeharto
noted that the coming elections were of great significance
because those elected would help lead the nation into the 21st
century.

Apart from that, the election should also be viewed as an
evaluation from society as well as the forging of a new
cooperation for the coming five years, he said.

"Prepare a general election which is qualitatively better than
prior elections. Not just in terms of better candidates but also
in the themes presented, the atmosphere and the campaigns," he
said.

He stressed that the election must be done in a "merry
atmosphere" for all, and that all parties should prevent it from
evolving into one filled with tension.

Non-government members of the Committee include Ali Hardi
Kiaidemak of the PPP, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno and Fatimah Achmad
of the PDI, Maj. Gen. Hari Sabarno of the Armed Forces faction.

The committee also includes Maj. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, assistant
to the ABRI chief for social and political affairs. (mds)