Morality of politics needed

Morality of politics needed

From Media Indonesia

The general elections of 2004 offer political parties a wide
opportunity for participation by fielding their presidential
candidates. This opportunity has prompted the political elite and
social figures, including those who were once part of the
autocratic regime, to join the race despite their flawed
political ethics and moral standards.

Though they are aware of the social stigma of their past
behavior, with the support of some media as sympathizers they can
conduct manipulation and wage a war of words to appear as clean
candidates and true reformists. In fact, the present unfavorable
conditions are partly due to the bad performance of the regime to
which they belonged.

However, the positive outcome of an opinion poll and the
provisional result of the second round of the Golkar Party's
convention, for instance, should unnecessarily give reason for
over optimism. It is because the public at large still has the
opportunity to make an objective evaluation of the presidential
nominees who have the required quality, integrity and capability,
and are legally flawless.

YUNITA K. MUHIDIN
Jakarta