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