Underdogs' days numbered

When this nation decided last year to let the seeds of democracy sweep into the country in their thousands, nobody seemed to foresee that so many opportunistic politicians would also join the feast of freedom.

But the decision seems to have backfired after these seasonal politicians, most of them previously unheard of to most, were bestowed membership in the General Elections Commission (KPU).

No sooner had they joined the commission when some of them started to call for bigger salaries and make other illogical demands. The fracas within the KPU got worse when leaders of lightweight parties found voters had rejected them in the June elections, the first democratic polls since 1955. With the vote count now complete, it turns out that only seven of the 48 political parties secured seats in the House of Representatives.

Most of the losers have manifested their frustration in a childish way by rocking the boat. They have refused to sign the final tabulation of the poll results for various reasons. Some of the arguments are quite logical but time is needed to address them, and they have refused to exercise the virtue of patience.

Their attitude appeared even more illogical when leaders of party chapters in the provinces agreed to cooperate with the commission, although they also requested that justice be dealt to those guilty of illicit business, notably involvement in money politics.

On the other hand, the parties who have won enough votes and a few democratically minded small political parties are willing to accept the final tabulation as announced by the KPU on July 26.

But some petty parties are apparently trying to make the best use of a stipulation of the Electoral Law which says that the poll results are legal if endorsed by two-thirds of the KPU members. When the law was deliberated in the House, nobody seemed to suspect that lightweight political parties could become a force to reckon with and wield control of the KPU for a brief time.

Tragically, it appears that it is now the day of the underdog. Although their bark is not as dangerous as their bite, they have the potent to sabotage the nation's entire democratic agenda, which will be topped off with an announcement of the final poll results by President B. J. Habibie.

Any delay of an official presidential announcement will benefit nobody but supporters of the status quo, which now dominates the House but which will become a minority group in the new legislative body. They may take this opportunity to pass as many laws in the interest of their own future.

The trouble is, no light is visible at the end the KPU tunnel because there is no power able to make the tiny parties return to their senses. And time is running nigh.

In this case the only way to overcome the deadlock is for the President to issue a presidential decree to validate the election results because the value of the recent polls, which were unexpectedly peaceful, far outweigh the worth of the ineffectual parties the majority of Indonesians refused to recognize by vote.

Although his intervention will appear to be in violation of the law, it is the only way to come out of the dire situation.

It is true that 27 KPU members refused to endorse the results, but the vote tabulation shows that more than 90 percent of voters are behind those who support this step. What is more democratic than the majority vote?