People long for peace, stability: Survey

JAKARTA (JP): "Give us the good old days" was the cry of many respondents of a survey conducted by the New Indonesia Alliance (PIB).

The non-stop political bickering and protracted economic crisis has actually resulted in 75.7 percent of respondents in the survey longing for the stability of the New Order era.

According to Ade, of PIB, the survey comprised of 600 respondents in Jakarta, Bandung (West Java), Denpasar (Bali), Padang (West Sumatra), Makassar (South Sulawesi), Manado (North Sulawesi), Medan (North Sumatra) and Surabaya (East Java).

Ade said respondents believed the government was not capable of restoring security and order as a majority of the people and the political elite were still trapped in the euphoria of freedom.

"Most respondents were deeply concerned with the unrest in Aceh, Ambon, East Java and Sampit and the recent presence of President Abdurrahman Wahid's militant supporters in Jakarta," she said.

But, she noted that most respondents wanted the return of the security and stability of the New Order era, and not a rebirth of the stringent political system which dominated it.

PIB chairman Sjahrir described the current situation in Indonesia as nothing short of a miracle.

"We are experiencing a miracle because the horrible economic crisis has 'only' sparked violent riots in Aceh, Irian Jaya, Sampit, Jakarta, Solo, Surabaya and several other cities," he said.

"I cannot understand why the country still exists if viewed from an economic perspective," said Sjahrir who is a noted economist.

He said that since its independence in 1945, Indonesia has faced numerous incidents threatening the nation's unity.

Sjahrir then attacked the bickering between political leaders, saying they did nothing to help lift the people's tremendous suffering amid the economic crisis.

"The political elite, especially the President, can no longer deceive the people with his recent political maneuvers to maintain the status quo. The people know exactly what is happening in the Cabinet and the presidential palace," he said.

He said the political elite should no longer depend on the miracle but had to work hard to defuse the crisis, restore political stability and uphold the supremacy of the law.

The respondents were fairly evenly split between men and women with about one fourth holding a university degree.(rms)