Simple logic

Simple logic

From Rakyat Merdeka

The 1999 general election ended with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) garnering twice as many votes as Golkar Party and five times as many as the National Mandate Party (PAN). Comments by politicians that there was no winner in the general election because no party collected over 50 percent of the total number of votes belittles the voters.

In the United States, where there are only two parties contesting elections, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, winning over 50 percent of the vote is of course possible. In Taiwan, meanwhile, after the emergence of a third party, none of the parties can collect over 50 percent of the total vote. Now here at home we have 48 parties. So PDI Perjuangan, with 33.7 percent of the vote, actually accomplished something brilliant. Even the ruling Golkar, which has a lot of members and a lot of money, could not defeat PDI Perjuangan.

Now the politicians, with all their slyness, have cashed in on a loophole in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which is not yet perfect, which says someone can be nominated as a presidential candidate if he has the support of a minimum of 10 percent of the MPR, or 70 members. So the minor parties form coalitions so that these parties which should not actually be eligible to nominate a presidential candidate can do so. Well, it is a weakness in the regulations and PDI Perjuangan can accept this.

In the election of the MPR and House speakers, PDI Perjuangan did not nominate its members so that the various political forces could be accommodated in these two institutions. In this way these political forces can control and supervise the government that PDI Perjuangan, which is convinced its candidate will win the presidential race, will lead. It is not known whether politicians are aware of this.

Now in the forthcoming election of the president and the vice president, these political forces could join forces to block Megawati's way to the presidential seat. If Megawati is only elected vice president, will this be acceptable to PDI Perjuangan? I believe she would prefer, in this situation, to take the position of the opposition. Now can a government void of the support of the majority of the people survive?

Foreign quarters understand this simple logic very well. They will not invest in a country where the government is shaky. Can we rebuild a country badly hit by the monetary and leadership crises by elbowing someone out of his/her position? Hopefully all the sly politicians can understand this simple logic.

SUTANTO TAN

Jakarta