'No major upheavals before election'
'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)