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