'Election must not bring anxiety'

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators agreed with President Soeharto yesterday that the general election in May should not cause suffering and trouble.

Commenting on the President's state budget speech, in which he disclosed that the budget increase for political affairs was the second largest after that to poverty alleviation and population programs, the legislators also agreed the increase should be accompanied by better performance in the sector.

"The general election should not bring anxiety and suffering to the people," said Abu Hasan Sazili, the deputy chairman of House Commission I, which deals with military and foreign political affairs.

In his speech, Soeharto said the years 1997/1998 would be "full of political affairs", as Indonesians would be involved in the various stages of the general election.

The flurry of activity will peak on election day, May 29, followed by the People's Consultative Assembly session in March 1998 in which representatives will discuss the Broad Guidelines for State Policies and elect a new president.

Soeharto said the general election should bring people happiness because it would advance the nation to the next stage of development which promised prosperity.

"It should be a festivity of democracy without violence," Soeharto reiterated.

"Normally as a festivity, the general election must bring happiness to all of us," he said. "A general election campaign that causes damage -- to people and property -- must be avoided."

"The excesses of such a campaign would disgrace the general election and tarnish the democratic practices we want to uphold in this country," he said.

Soeharto said it was for this reason the government wanted to emphasize a dialogue campaign by discussing development issues.

Last month the government issued regulations banning street rallies in the official one month campaign period.

Soeharto also said it was unavoidable that the political climate would heat up ahead of the election.

"What we have to avoid is an uncontrolled situation, clashes and animosity among ourselves. This certainly is unhealthy and even endangers our nation," Soeharto said, calling on people not to be antagonized by differences between people.

"These kind of differences are the characteristics of democracy. Therefore, we can overcome them through democratic means," Soeharto said.

Yesterday, Sazili warned of the political temperature heating up and "the possible appearance of a third party" meddling out of jealousy of Indonesia's economic success.

Theo L. Sambuaga of Commission I lauded the budget increase, but said it should be accompanied by better performances in domestic political activities and foreign diplomacy.

Golkar, which won the majority vote in the last five elections, intends to win 70 percent of the vote in the May 29 poll, two percent more than its share in the 1992 election when the PPP received 17 percent and the PDI 15 percent.

The three political groupings legally permitted to run -- Golkar, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party -- will contest 425 seats in the 500-member parliament. The balance is allocated to the Armed Forces whose members do not formally vote. (imn)