The election agenda

The election agenda

With Monday's announcement of the campaign and voting schedule
for the June general election, this country's first truly free
election in 44 years -- and only the second in the republic's 54
years of existence -- is a step closer to becoming reality.

As might be expected given heavy pressure in terms of time
available and political acceptability, it is an exceptionally
tight schedule, and one bound to invite criticism on several of
its points. Which is not to mention that there are enough people
in our community who reject outright the very idea of the current
government of President B.J. Habibie -- which they regard as
constitutionally illegitimate, or transitional at best --
conducting a general election.

Some hurdles may have to be overcome right from the start of
the planned timetable regarding registration and selection of
political parties eligible to contest the election -- a month-
long process that should have begun, theoretically, on Feb. 1 and
end on March 1.

With only 30 of the almost 200 political parties expected to
be eligible, it is easy to perceive the difficulty officials will
have in explaining the decision to those parties ultimately left
out. In anticipating this snag, the authorities have proposed
appointing a team of 11 "independent" judges of impeccable
personal and political integrity to do the selecting. All the
same, it is a critical process with the potential to stir up
tensions at a time when calm and judgmatic thinking is needed.

Voter registration is a second point on the agenda that could
cause problems, turnout problems in particular. Because of the
time shortage, officials will not be making house-to-house calls,
as was the practice in previous elections, to compile names of
eligible voters. Instead, it is the voters themselves who are
expected to visit registration posts to enter their names, and
political parties are advised to urge potential voters to follow
the procedure. While this could possibly reduce the chance of
cheating by partisan officials through the adding or omitting of
names, it remains questionable how the vast majority of
Indonesians, unused to this kind of procedure, will respond.

Many ordinary citizens no doubt welcome the authorities'
decision to discourage, or even ban, street rallies during the
campaign and encourage indoor gatherings instead. How effective
such indoor, dialog-type rallies can be in this country at this
time remains to be seen. In any event, even the authorities admit
that it will be difficult to prevent bands of campaigners from
roaming through the streets while moving from one location to
another. Even with "only" 30 parties participating, the campaign
period, from May 18 to June 6, will be loaded with the potential
for conflict. Since trouble at this stage could easily endanger
the whole election process, the task of maintaining public order
at this time must rest not with the security officials alone, but
with the community as a whole.

Although not all may concur, it is generally agreed that the
June 7 general election provides the best, if not the only,
chance to bring a peaceful end to the crisis that has crippled
this nation for more than a year. While difficulties involved in
the implementation of the election agenda could seriously affect
the poll outcome, any remaining loopholes in the newly passed
political laws which could foil the process of democratization
would be sure to have long-term political effects on the nation.

With no intention to be partial, it is a pity to note that so
far little action has been evident from newly established
political parties -- with the possible exception of Amien Rais'
National Mandate Party -- to try to correct any remaining
shortcomings in those laws and procedures. For those who have not
sufficiently aired their aspirations, the coming weeks may
provide a last chance to put in order whatever loose ends remain.