Open voting

Open voting

From Sinar Pagi

The plan for an open vote to decide on the President's accountability at the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) runs counter to the stipulation in Article 85 (paragraph 5) of the Procedural Rule, which reads: "Any voting concerning a person or an issue considered important by the Assembly meeting shall be conducted secretly or in writing." However, if this rule is followed, it would automatically provide a loophole for money politics, because no matter who the MPR members are, generous sums of money might corrupt their original aim of representing the public and prompt them to shirk their moral responsibilities and their commitment toward the populace. This would all occur largely owing to the obscurity of everything going on under the secret voting.

It's worthwhile, therefore, to first of all reach agreement on the rules, particularly regarding the stipulation in question, in order to prevent rumors of payoffs. The voting would in fact finally lead to the acceptance or rejection of the President's accountability. In the event of a rejection, Megawati Soekarnoputri will assume presidency and appoint a vice president as well as a new Cabinet. As widely speculated in the mass media, former security coordinating minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has the biggest chance of filling the VP position. As an independent, professional and democratic figure, he has emphasized the interests of the nation and state, shown during his ministerial term. When President Wahid instructed him to maintain public security, he managed to keep the situation under control by exercising his wisdom, without sacrificing the interests of the general public or expecting personal gains.

SUWARNO

Jakarta