The relevance of peaceful elections

The relevance of peaceful elections

The smooth general elections is a good beginning. The next step to take is to make sure that all parties accept the results in the spirit of good sportsmanship. A mature attitude, especially among our political leaders, will have a substantial effect on this country's political stability and security situation in the coming weeks. The value of the rupiah will be put on the line because the market has its own perception of the situation.

It is evident that the road ahead is still long. The business world is waiting to see whether the coalition government that will be formed in the wake of the elections will be able to operate effectively. It also will be asking whether the new government will be pro-business. Also, will this new coalition government last long enough, and will the parties involved in it be willing to stick to their consensus for the coming five years?

The six-month period that lies ahead will still be filled with apprehension. After all, the process of crystallization among the political elite has not been completed since not all their interests have been met. Any kind of political maneuvering -- a thing most common people do not fully understand -- could bring high risks. We hope all those concerned recognize the fact that an unhealthy political situation will hamper our efforts to revive the economy.

People are hoping that our political elite will be looking not only after the short-term and domestic interests, but take into account the political situation in Asia as well, particularly with an eye on the emergence of new competition patterns among the major countries. China is believed to pose a new threat. Countries will certainly be vying with each other to secure their respective spheres of influence. If we remain weak in our position, there is not much we can do about all this.

At present, our rupiah is strengthening. The general election has been honest and fair. Both are positive developments that must be welcomed. This entire nation has an interest in seeing to it that economic and political developments remain on the right track. It is the duty of us all to make sure that this hope is realized.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta