Yogie gives guarantees on 'honest and fair' election

Yogie gives guarantees on 'honest and fair' election

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. gave
his word yesterday that the general election next year would be
"honest and fair", although the election rules do not specify
this.

Yogie, who heads the General Elections Institute, said the
"direct, free, open and secret balloting" principle stated in the
rules implied that elections would be honest and fair.

"This principle may look simple but it is actually very
complex," he told a meeting of some 400 government prosecutors
who have been assigned to the election's Committee for
Supervision and Implementation.

"But that doesn't mean the principle cannot be upheld," he
said, adding that the committee would need a strong will to
realize the principle.

The United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI), which will contest the May election
against the mighty Golkar, have requested the authorities to
insert the phrases "honest and fair" and "direct, open, fair and
secret" in the election rules.

The two minority parties said that past elections had been far
from fair and honest and that many violations went unpunished.

Yogie explained yesterday that "honest and fair" were much
more difficult to quantify objectively than "direct, open, fair
and secret" because they have emotional connotations.

Attorney General Singgih, who addressed the forum yesterday,
reiterated that the government would not permit the Independent
Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP), set up last March, to
interfere with the work of the election institute.

Each polling booth would already be staffed by witnesses
appointed by Golkar, PPP and PDI, he said.

"They (KIPP) can monitor the polling stations with
binoculars," Singgih said smiling.

The independent committee, formed by a group of government
critics, has received strong support from the two minority
parties and the public despite the government's refusal to
recognize it.

The electoral rules do not recognize the existence of
independent organizations outside the official structure, Singgih
said.

Singgih also said that a new set of election campaign rules
was being drafted and would be announced in December in the form
of a presidential decree.

Soeharto last month asked the National Council for Defense and
Security to review the current campaign regulations and then
draft new regulations that guarantee greater security and public
order. (16)