Winner of next general election

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