Indonesia's general election

Indonesia's general election

The general election epitomizes a shift from the dictatorship
for the sake of economic development to democratic rule, and from
power politics to genuine party politics.

At such a juncture, suspicion resurfaced over the fortunes
amassed by members of the Soeharto family. No doubt the people
will more vociferously demand the truth.

Although no political leader has called for extreme
nationalism, it is worrisome that there has been a flurry of
clashes among overly enthusiastic campaign workers. In addition,
religious and ethnic conflicts are flaring up in many parts of
the country.

If violent incidents and vote-buying take place on a massive
scale, trust in the general election will be lost, increasing the
likelihood of political chaos and a more serious economic crisis.

-- The Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo