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)