RI election in Australia?
RI election in Australia?
The "weather" I mean in this letter has nothing to do with
Jimmy Carter, a former U.S. president. Carter came here to see if
preparations for the general election are in accordance with
international rules in democratic societies.
In a sense, there is already a light pressure from the
international community on the election process. The energetic
former U.S. president, while here, stated that the upcoming
general election would take place fairly and peacefully.
However, I disagree with Carter, especially after what has
occurred in Purbalingga, Central Java. In fact, I am rather
pessimistic that all will run as planned.
I am afraid somebody may suggest that, like the football final
between Surabaya and Semarang, the election be organized outside
Indonesia -- for instance, in Australia. I am sure Carter would
not mind traveling to Australia to act as referee.
The police would then have less to do and the watchdogs would
enjoy their work.
As we know, the police did issue a permit for the soccer match
to take place at the Senayan stadium in Jakarta but the permit
was canceled when supporters of both sides were feared to kill
each other, the players and the referee. Many soccer fans were
disappointed and angry at the cancellation of the big final
match. Most of the fans came from far away and they are not rich.
They were forced to return by trains and warships as if they were
refugees from Kosovo.
Personally, I would have preferred the police to allow the
match to take place. If it turned rough and the crowd became
uncontrollable, with victims falling on both sides, the match
should then be stopped. A rematch could be organized -- not
necessarily in Manado, North Sulawesi -- without the public. The
match, to determine this year's champion, could be held at the
same place without supporters present and without prior
announcement. That would save time and money.
With its new status, the police should not surrender before
the battle begins. Guarding the general election would surely be
10 times tougher, requiring greater strength and concentration,
than guarding a football match.
The simpler solution would be to decide the winner through
penalties without the presence of the public but with the
presence of armored carriers around the stadium. Maybe, in
addition, the stadium lights should be switched off. Instead,
kerosene lamps from Madura could be used, so that no hooligans
would notice anything.
About the general election, if reports said that a group from
a certain party had ripped off flags and symbols of another party
during a rally in Purbalingga, it is indeed a serious breach of
election rules.
Such a degree of intolerance demonstrated in a small city
gives one reason for great concern whether the election process
will take place fairly and peacefully.
It is an early warning to the police that they will be facing
a huge, if not impossible, task. Hopefully, their preparations
will not be too late.
It is also a warning to parties which have started election
campaigning too early and illegally.
GANDHI SUKARDI
Bogor, West Java