Winner of next general election

The general election is just a few weeks away, and if I am right, this is going to be a very important national event, because after the elections, Indonesians are hoping the nation will be steered in the right direction and achieve the real goals of reform.

But to achieve this, our way of thinking must be radically changed. We should leave behind the narrow concept that one political party should win and reign over the nation. Now we must try to give victory to the Indonesian people as a whole, and the Indonesian people should win the election, not one of the parties, because only then can we build our national house.

A house cannot consist of only a floor, or only walls, or only a roof, etc. A strong comfortable house must have walls, pillars, floors, a roof, etc. This house is built not by one person but is the result of a strong cooperation between all members, and everyone should contribute according to their capability and power.

By analogy, this national house should be built by all parties, big and small. And all parties should contribute something according to their capacity and strength. And when finished, everyone should be happy because we all have a roof over our head; a building as a result of cooperation.

So facing next election, we should not fight each other and we must throw away the feeling that "my party is the best and the strongest". What can one big party do, if everyone else is against that party. This is a matter of coordination to make the nation happy and prosperous. We should look at those different parties just as a difference in taste. In the choice of food for instance, we will choose a dish to suit our different tastes, and there should be no quarreling about it.

Who is going to win the next election, which, hopefully, will be conducted in a fair, honest and secret way? The whole nation will come out as the winner, not any one single political party.

This idea might sound strange and naive, but I am convinced that it will work. Why fight or kill each other. What is the benefit of all that?

We have had troubles for almost one whole year now and it seems that it is far from over. Revenge and vengeance are still uppermost in the minds of the people, and sometimes also in the minds of leaders just to gain popularity. We all are religious people, and to gain God's love is more important then just gaining political popularity by sacrificing followers. Let all of us be honest and fair, that we are not fighting for the sake of one party but for all Indonesians. This should, of course, not remain a slogan but should be adhered to honestly and strictly. It is not too late; where there is a will, there is a way.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta