Public needs enlightenment

It is hoped by all of us that the general election campaign will show an increase in quality this year. There should be no need for our daily lives to be upset by them. The experience of six past elections should have taught us a lesson in how we should go about improving our political life. Mobilizing huge crowds to attend rallies -- particularly when this is done by hiring people and loading them onto trucks -- squanders money rather than educates the public.

The most important thing now is that this month of campaigning passes without incident. The three contestants in the election should be able to enlighten the people by making them aware of their rights and to encourage them to vote.

Campaigns without enlightenment will do nothing to improve the quality of political life. It would be like walking in place. This would create the suspicion that the general election is held merely as a means to preserve the power status quo.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta