Emil urges Habibie to hold poll in December

Emil urges Habibie to hold poll in December

JAKARTA (JP): Leading opposition figure Emil Salim has
announced his withdrawal from a presidential consultative group
formed by President B.J. Habibie, and demanded that a general
election be held by December.

In a written statement, Emil expressed "disappointment" at
recent developments, including Habibie's recent statement that
polls would be held next year.

Though he did not directly attribute his withdrawal to the
poll date issue, Emil emphasized that Habibie during meetings
with the group had said he was merely a transitional president
and would hold elections at the soonest possible date.

Emil was one of six key figures invited by Habibie on May 23
to hold periodic consultations with him.

The "Group of Six" comprises Amien Rais, Adnan Buyung
Nasution, Sudjana Sapi'ie, Nurcholish Madjid, Rudini and Emil.

The group held another meeting on May 26 and, based on the
reported content of the two meetings, had apparently been told by
the President that he would hold polls as soon as possible.

After the first meeting, Amien said he would not be involved
further. He said he could work better from outside its parameters
and did not want to give the impression that he was being
coopted.

Despite the presidential assurances, House of Representatives
Speaker Harmoko, after a meeting with Habibie on May 27, said
elections could only be held after an extraordinary session of
the People's Consultative Assembly. This could only be convened
at the earliest by the end of this year or early next year.

In subsequent days, Habibie confirmed that polls would only be
held in 1999.

Emil said yesterday he was dismayed at hearing these
developments.

"The agreement (between Habibie and Harmoko) clearly fails to
reflect the awareness (from Habibie) on the urgency of holding an
immediate general election."

Emil denounced Habibie, saying the action "shows a lack of
political will to shorten the transitional time of the presidency
and the legislative body".

In the written statement distributed by associates in Gema
Madani (Echoes of Civil Society) at a news conference here, Emil
also said polls should precede the convening of an Assembly
session.

He urged for elections to be held in December and an Assembly
session in February, saying that Habibie could invoke MPR
Decree No. 5/1998 which gives the president special powers to
take such initiatives.

Emil said an independent election team, drawn from
representatives from sociopolitical organizations and non-
governmental organizations, should be established to help the
government hold the general elections.

Frugality should be at the core of the polls in place of the
ostentatious frills normally found in a campaign, he added.

Setting a poll date approved by the public could create a much
needed "atmosphere of certainty" also required by the business
community as they sought stability to revive the country's
sinking economy.

In preparation for the expedited elections, Emil encouraged
the President to employ government decrees to change the current
electoral law, the law on social and political organizations and
the law on the status of the Assembly and the House.

"The three government decrees, the date for the poll and the
general session should be set by the President after consulting
with public leaders," he said.

He encouraged the government to allow new political parties to
expand and campaign to recruit members once the decrees were
issued.

In closing, Emil called on the nation to also concentrate on
efforts to address critical issues of food scarcity and
unemployment. (aan)