People long for peace, stability: Survey

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)