'Election must not bring anxiety'
'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)