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))