Military's election promise applauded

Military's election promise applauded

SEMARANG (JP): A politician and an intellectual yesterday
welcomed the military's promise to look into allegations of
riggings at the next general election and to rectify them.

The promise, made by Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief of
Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid in Jakarta on
Thursday, shows the military's intention to strengthen democracy
in Indonesia, they said.

Susilo Utomo, a political lecturer at the Diponegoro
University, praised Syarwan as a "true statesman" for coming out
with such a bold promise.

"Obviously, we hope his statement will become reality. Let's
hope the military will match words with deeds," Susilo told The
Jakarta Post. "We hope that everyone, from party leaders to
ministers and government officials, could be like him," he added.

Muchsin Bafadal, deputy secretary general of the minority
United Development Party (PPP), said Syarwan's promise is a
"fresh breeze for Indonesia's political climate."

"What we have been fighting for all this time has not been
entirely wasted," Muchsin said.

Muchsin said ABRI must stand above party politics in the
election and must also help to strengthen democracy in the
country.

Syarwan's statement shows the military's "honest intention" to
be a good and firm referee, he said.

The PPP, and the other minority party, the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI), have been fighting to change the election
system or at least seek greater assurances that election
cheatings do not go unpunished.

The two parties, which are fighting the mighty Golkar in next
year's election, have repeatedly said that their complaints of
election riggings went unheeded. In 1992, Golkar came away with
68 percent of the total votes, PPP with 17 percent and PDI 15
percent.

Syarwan was promoted last month to the current post, a
position that will determine how the military will dispose its
task as a political force during the upcoming election.

ABRI members do not vote in general elections but the military
will be given 75 of the 500 seats in the House of
Representatives. (har)