RI democracy 'yet to take root'

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta

While the July 5 election proceeded orderly and peacefully, democracy may prove to take much longer to develop in the world's largest archipelagic country, analysts and an election watchdog say.

They argue that various violations by candidates and election officials during the campaign period and on voting day show that people here do not understand the true meaning of democracy.

"We're just experiencing a ceremonial democracy and do not yet understand the essence of democracy," Arbi Sanit, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, told a discussion organized to evaluate the country's first direct election on July 5.

All five pairs contesting the July election violated campaign rules, ranging from election schedules to ads on electronic and print media.

The five pairs were Wiranto and running mate Solahuddin Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi, Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla, and Hamzah Haz and running mate Agum Gumelar.

On voting day, some election officials were found to have punctured ballot papers for particular candidates. Some people also mobilized people to vote for certain aspirants.

According to the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP), 80 percent of election violations were committed by General Elections Commission (KPU) officials.

The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) also reported election violations in Tawau, East Malaysia.

The committee alleged that consulate staff punctured some 8,000 ballots in favor of presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate Jusuf Kalla before the election.

In Timika, Papua, authorities found poll officials pierced 3,200 ballot papers for the Susilo-Kalla pair.

Meanwhile, there was also mass voter mobilization at the Al- Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu, West Java. This led to a dramatic increase of polling stations from 20 to 83.

Voters in the boarding school mostly voted for Wiranto and Solahuddin.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has declared Susilo and Megawati the winners of the first round of the election and will therefore face each other in the Sept. 20 runoff.

Arbi said he hoped election procedures could be improved in the near future because it would determine the legitimacy of the elected president and vice president.

Indra J. Piliang of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and KIPP director Ray Rangkuti agreed with Arbi, saying that laws and regulations dealing with the election were full of flaws.

Indra said that people doubted the legitimacy of the current House of Representatives members because they were appointed through an outdated electoral system.

Indra hailed, however, the fact that voters had become more independent and free from the control of political parties.

"I'm also glad because there were no reports of fatalities resulting from different political choices. It shows the growing maturity of the people," he said.

Ray Rangkuti said that campaign fund infractions and the video compact disc (VCD) scandal in Banjarnegara, Central Java, had tarnished the election.

Some presidential candidates were unable to explain the sources of their campaign funds, while a VCD recording caught police personnel in Banjarnegara promoting Megawati.

He said that there must be fair settlements of election violations, otherwise whomever was elected president would face strong resistance from the people.