Toward better elections

The United Development Party (PPP) hopes the upcoming general elections will be of higher quality than those held previously. This aspiration was detected from the political statement issued by the party at the closing of its leadership conference a few days ago.

The PPP's critical statement actually comes as no surprise. The critical stance evident within the party's recent leadership conference was merely an extension of the critical attitude which the party has shown over the past three years regarding the way in which our general elections are held. Furthermore, the same critical attitude has been on the rise in our society since 1994.

In this context, the PPP statement represents two particular developments that are taking place prior to this year's elections. First, positive development is occurring in our society in the form of the rise of a growing political awareness and political savvy. The presence of an increasingly conscious and intelligent populace could be the prime factor that distinguishes this year's general elections from previous ones.

Second, it signals the rise of a positive phenomenon within the PPP -- and perhaps in other election contestants, too -- which is to better accommodate the growing awareness, the increasing savvy and the critical attitude that exists in our society. In this year's elections the contestants are expected to be not merely producers of political slogans and promises, but rather of concrete and realistic programs that are increasingly oriented towards the interests and the well-being of the people as a whole.

These two phenomena -- assuming that they are proven true and are materialized -- will signal the strengthening desire for better elections in 1997. They will also indicate the presence of a society that is increasingly aware that general elections are not merely means for obtaining legitimacy for power, but rather for establishing a representative government and for exercising people's sovereignty.

-- Republika, Jakarta