Our political agenda

Our political agenda

There can be no bargaining on it: President B.J. Habibie must
take immediate, concrete, transparent and professional actions to
lay bare the many cases of corruption, collusion and nepotism,
beginning by examining ex-President Soeharto. Although all this
will have to be done in accordance to the principles of
lawfulness, truth and justice, we would like to underline the
fact that investigating the ex-president is a part of our
national political agenda.

In order that the public can be sure that those efforts are
undertaken, we agree with National Mandate Party chairman Amien
Rais that President Habibie should be given one month to begin
his investigation of Soeharto. What this means is that in the
next few days noticeable steps in that direction must be taken.
Another urgent point on our national political agenda concerns
the holding of general elections. We all agree that the scheduled
general elections must be thoroughly prepared in every aspect and
not only in as far as the actual balloting is involved, but also
the follow-up.

Up to the present, however, the drafting of the political laws
concerned continues to invite debate. It is not clear what the
rules that are to govern the campaigning will be like. The
question of funding remains unclear. It has still not been
decided who will make up the independent, national or
international watchdogs. In the meantime only six months are left
before the actual balloting is scheduled to take place and the
time schedule cannot be postponed. Then there is the question of
the post-voting situation, which would concern such matters as
possible coalition arrangements and how the new government and
other state institution should be set up.

For that purpose, we suggest that the government and political
party leaders sit down and communicate intensively with each
other in an atmosphere of down-to-earth openness and in a spirit
of dedication towards the nation and national concord. Although
partisan sentiments will always be present in party politics and
during general elections, all parties involved should be able to
perform professionally.

In this context of ensuring professional political
communication, we must all agree that the presence of an active,
critical and independent national media is necessary. Both the
government and the political parties must open themselves towards
the mass media and rely on them as a means of political
communication.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta