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