It's just horse-trading

It's just horse-trading

From Bisnis Indonesia

After the legislative election vote counting controversy, with
the Golkar Party still holding the lead, public attention is now
turning to the country's presidential candidates and their
running mates.

Though this year's presidential election, unlike in previous
years, will be a direct vote, horse-trading will inevitably
prevail in the coming contest for top executive positions.

Political figures like Megawati Soekarnoputri, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, Amien Rais and Abdurrahman "Gus Dus" Wahid are
preoccupied by their search for running mates who can help them
pick up votes. None of the candidates have prepared possible
Cabinets or come up with platforms.

With the horse-trading and the very limited time left for
recruiting Cabinet members, the ministers in the Cabinet of the
president-elect later will likely be chosen more on the basis of
reciprocity than capability.

In this context, the political interests of presidential
candidates are not likely to be directly proportional to the
public's interests. For Indonesia, with its fledgling democracy,
this will not be favorable to the people.

If this happens, this year's elections will result in leaders
who are no different from those who resulted from earlier
elections.

ABDEL CASYM
Jakarta