Victory for all

Victory for all

From: Koran Tempo

The runoff on Sept. 20, between the Megawati-Hasyim and
Susilo-Kalla tickets marked the completion of our first direct
presidential election.

We Indonesians should feel glad to see these presidential
elections have taken place peacefully, a fact indicating our
political maturity. Indonesians can no longer be provoked by
differences, competition and political conflicts involving the
political elite. This is a solid cultural asset that we must use
as a foundation for the consolidation of our democracy in future.
Whoever will be elected president later must maintain and then
improve this excellent political culture.

The two pairs taking part in the presidential runoff are sure
to demonstrate their mature and democratic attitude towards the
outcome of this presidential runoff. Even a day before ballot
casting, President Megawati called on the whole nation to accept
the outcome of the presidential runoff sincerely throw their
support to whoever will be the winner.

The winner must remain humble and make his or her victory the
victory of the entire nation. The loser must magnanimously accept
defeat. Losing a political competition must be perceived as
constructive criticism for a better performance in future. In no
way must it be perceived as a disgrace.

In this way both the winner and the loser will do their utmost
in forging the country's democracy. In short, both are in a sense
winners as both work for the sake of this nation's progress,
interest, and greater dignity.

YUDIMAN ARYANTO

Jakarta