PPP reiterates call for coercion-free elections
PPP reiterates call for coercion-free elections
JAKARTA (JP): Senior politician Ismail Hasan Metareum called yesterday for "fair, honest and coercion-free" general elections, ones that do not make the people suffer.
Ismail, who is chairman of the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), rehashed the old grievances of minority parties, his and the Indonesian Democratic Party, about manipulations during general elections.
"General elections are not (held) to make people suffer because of coercion and manipulation," he said in a press conference. Instead, "it should be the time when people channel their political aspirations".
"They should be held (in such a way which is sensitive toward) people's aspirations," he said. "Don't let general elections become tools to make people suffer, for instance...by forcing them (to vote) against their will."
"This is why we need the concept of fair and honest to be implemented in the elections," he said. "We need elections which are free from manipulations."
"Whose conscience can ever reject the concept of fair and honest in elections?" he said. "The general elections can be considered a success if there's no more shortcomings (in the implementation)," he said.
Leaders of the two minority parties, PPP and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), have often expressed suspicion of unfair practices in vote-counting procedures during previous polls.
They have also often stated that involving them in the organizing committees would ensure more fair competition.
Both the PPP and the PDI have also insisted that "honest and fair" should be added to the principles governing the 1997 polls. The existing law stipulates only that general elections be conducted in a "direct, general, free and confidential" manner.
During the press meeting, Ismail also announced the party's plan to hold a leadership meeting in Cipayung, West Java, next Monday.
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. is scheduled to open the three-day gathering, while Commander of the Armed Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono and State Minister for National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita will address it.
Golkar, the ruling political grouping, snatched 282 seats or 68 percent of the contested 400 seats in the House of Representatives in the 1992 elections.
PPP and PDI obtained 62 and 56 seats respectively. The remaining 100 seats in the legislative body were reserved for the Armed Forces.
Ismail yesterday supported former home minister Rudini's recent statement that candidates for the 1997 general elections should not have to undergo the military special screening procedures, aimed at weeding out those with communist links, because there is no longer a need for it.
"Such screenings are no longer necessary," he said, adding that his party has always implemented its own "screening procedures" for its prospective legislators. "Our party places only its best people in the legislative councils," he said.
Rudini said last week that President Soeharto had actually agreed to eliminate the screening of election candidates in 1992. But the President's stance came too late as the military had at that time issued instructions for the screening.
Rudini also said that the screening, usually called "special examinations", is outdated given the current political stability.
Bakorstanas, a security coordinating body, is the agency with the authority to screen prospective officials and politicians. Anyone found by the body to have past communist links cannot enter the bureaucracy, nor can they become a leader of a political organization.
Some 160 party officials will join the PPP leadership meeting. The gathering is expected to come up with concepts and formulas on how the Moslem-based party can succeed in the upcoming general elections.
Participants will conclude the meeting by issuing a political statement, Ismail said. (swe))