Rectors to set up poll watch

JAKARTA (JP): Rectors of all institutes of higher learning in Indonesia have agreed to establish a forum among themselves to monitor the general election scheduled for June 7, 1999.

The forum would provide moral support to students who had acted as the spearhead of the reform movement, the forum's executive director, Prof. Soedjana Sjafii, said on the sidelines of the rectors' second meeting here on Saturday.

The forum would adopt the legal status of a foundation and be one of the intellectuals' efforts to ensure that the next general election proceeds directly, freely, fairly and honestly, and uphold human rights, he said as quoted by Antara.

In addition, the forum would hopefully also ensure the legitimacy of the poll results at both national and international levels, he said.

The forum's establishment was a synergic educational effort and a contribution of the higher learning institutes to the creation of a civilized, just and peaceful reform climate, he said.

Asked what linkage there would be between the rectors' forum and the non-governmental Independent Committee for Elections Monitoring (KIPP) set up by a pro-reform group of intellectuals in Jakarta, he said the rectors' forum would first register with the National Elections Committee (KPU) before cooperating with other general election monitoring committees.

"We will hold dialogs with other general election monitoring bodies to establish mutually beneficial cooperation, so that no single group will dominate the monitoring effort," he said.