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Editorial: Election fraud?
In protecting his own credibility, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has no choice but to quickly authorize an independent investigation into the alleged manipulation of voter lists in East Java and punish those responsible for the crimes or helping to cover up the crime
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In protecting his own credibility, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has no choice but to quickly authorize an independent investigation into the alleged manipulation of voter lists in East Java and punish those responsible for the crimes or helping to cover up the crime. The price that his government and even the nation might have to pay could be unbearable if the real truth about the East Java gubernatorial election manipulation issue is not comprehensively revealed.
We have no doubt at all that as a statesman and a democrat, the President fully supports fair, just and democratic legislative and presidential elections. His own position has so far also put him in the lead over his competitors. But no one can rule out the possibility that his supporters, or those who have personal vested interests, could commit crimes at the cost of Yudhoyono. The President’s firm and prompt action therefore is urgently needed to find the truth.
The President also needs to remember issue could soon have a snowball effect. On Wednesday, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Pramono Anung alleged that similar crimes might have also occurred in Trenggalek, Magetan and Ngawi, also in East Java. The provincial elections monitoring committee (Panwaslu) also mentioned Pacitan regency, Yudhoyono’s hometown. Yudhoyono’s party, the Democrat Party, has nominated his son Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono to represent the regencies at the House of Representatives.
The allegedly manipulated voter lists were used for the recent East Java gubernatorial election. And the same lists will also be used for the April legislative elections and July presidential election.
In a very unusual manner, Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Tuesday bluntly expressed his resentment over the alleged attempt by National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri to annul the East Java Police’s findings that there had been serious election violations by the provincial general elections commission (KPUD). Knowing his character, people believe Kalla, who is also the Golkar chairman, should have obtained strong evidence before talking to journalists. Kalla, who has announced his intention to face off against Yudhoyono in the July presidential election, has a strong interest to ensure the alleged crime is thoroughly investigated and justice is upheld.
The abrupt decision by Bambang to sack the provincial police chief Insp. Gen. Herman Surjadi Sumawiredja after the latter stubbornly insisted he had found strong evidence of election crimes only triggered strong suspicion that Bambang acted to protect the interests of very, very important persons in this country.
Whatever the reasons or pretexts Bambang uses to defend his decision to sack his subordinate, and no matter how sincere he is in his explanation, the public will continue to suspect his motives.
It is natural that election contestants will trade accusations with their rivals to lure voters during the campaigns. But the President needs to take firm action to investigate the allegation and to punish those who committed the crimes. The future of the nation is at stake now.
And to our National Police chief, we wish to remind him that he could endanger the position of the police institution if he fails to prove that no election crimes occurred in the province or elsewhere.
