'No major upheavals before election'
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat acknowledged the public's growing codeern over democratization and the national leadership succession, but predicted no major upheavals in the next four months would disturb preparations for May's general election.
In a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission I, dealing with political affairs and security, Edi said yesterday a rising political awareness had made the public increasingly critical.
"As demands for democratization grow, we can anticipate people becoming more critical of violations of general election regulations," he told the hearing presided over by Aisyah Amini of the United Development Party (PPP).
Edi said criticism and people's efforts to exert "social control" would be positive as long as they were raised within the frame of the legal system and the Constitution, and with a spirit of nationalism.
"Unbridled criticism and effort to exert 'social control' may damage the national unity," he said.
Edi said around 120 million people would go to the polls to vote for the three contestants: the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), the ruling Golkar and the Christian- nationalist alliance, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).
Despite his prediction of no major disturbances, Edi said yesterday that those at the grassroots level had the potential to disturb security.
"People are becoming much more concerned about unfair treatment against workers, about salary raises, and (factories') violation in waste disposal that are tolerated (by the government)," he said.
He identified a number of factors with the potential to trigger social unrest, including arbitrary dismissal of employees, unemployment and increases in the prices of staple goods, which normally followed the planned salary hike for government employees and military personnel.
"A fluctuation of prices, estimated to last until two months after the Idul Fitri post-fasting holiday, can also be a factor (causing social disturbances)," he said.
He said unrest in the form of rioting might also occur because of the country's pluralism. He cited economic gaps between the indigenous and those of ethnic Chinese descent, and poor tolerance among people of different faiths.
Edi also said disturbances could occur because of continued efforts by some parties to harm the Armed Forces' credibility.
In another part of his explanation, Edi noted people's recent response to government economic policies. He called on the government not to brandish "those with this new understanding" as disobedient.
"Different reactions toward government policies are natural. It's part of the public's social control on the government," he said.
He said critical opinion should be nurtured rather than suppressed lest it made people apathetic and thus susceptible to exploitation by "irresponsible parties". (imn)