Toward better elections

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