Elections and the law

Elections and the law

If the government persist in leaving vacant the Indonesian Democratic Party seats in the East Java provincial general election committee, the party intends to lodge a complaint against the government in the 1998 session of the People's Consultative Assembly. Some people suggest that the question be settled through amicable discussion. Others suggest that it be settled in court.

If a settlement were to wait for a court decision, however, the case could drag on for a long time since both parties involved would appeal the decision. Given the huge backlog in cases, it might well be that the final court decision would be pronounced after the 1997 -- or even 2002 -- general election was over.

This newspaper believes that the United Development Party has a compelling enough reason to propose amendments to the existing general election law and for the Indonesian Democratic Party to demand its rightful share of seats in the East Java provincial general election committee. Both parties naturally want to see their ambitions fulfilled.

However, the real decision makers and policymakers are cadres of Golkar, and Golkar will certainly try to maintain its majority in the House of Representatives and the Peoples Consultative Assembly.

How the case will be settled will naturally depend on whether or not the government will follow the law.

-- Sinar Pagi, Jakarta