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)