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