Face /OFF

Sun, 04/19/2009 2:05 PM  |  Discover

People underline the legislative and presidential elections this year as the only way to bring change to the country. Considering that those running in the elections are the same old faces that ran or are ruling the country, what is the quality of the elections in their ability to bring in changes?

Discover receives only PRO responses to this issue. - Editor

PRO

Changes will take place, it needs time to adjust

Aviva Azalia
Communication Studies
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences
University of Indonesia

It was not easy at first to cast the vote because honestly, we were still in dark about their true mission and visions. But whoever they are, whatever background they come from, I still put my hope that they can and will bring changes to this country.

For the presidential election that will be held three months from now, I think people will not be as confused as legislative election because many of us are already familiar with the possible candidates.

All in all, I can say that there will be changes, even maybe not too significant. The old faces or new faces need time to adjust before they can perform at their utmost to transform our country for better.

For the future, for better elections in the future, a deeper and thorough campaign and political education to the public should also be done. People can choose the right persons without any hesitation only if the government, the election commission, and the parties can give information the voter need, not only on how to cast the vote.

In addition, we should also actively seek for as many as information that we need about our choices, not just sit around and wait for other people to feed us.

PRO

Choosing the right candidates a must

Paundra J
History Department
Faculty of Cultural Sciences
University of Indonesia

As a voter, we must be careful to cast our votes. So, choose and find the right candidate is a must. The Indonesian voters have chosen parties and the candidates with the hope to change this country.

Yes, some old faces probably won't bring any the changes. But many of old faces were also doing well, and we have to appreciate them. It does depend on the candidates themselves. Even new candidate can disappoint us. Actually, we'll never know their works until they start working.

So, basically the morality is the key. The *clean' and good candidates will bring us hope for better future. Hopefully these people can guide and assist us at the House of Representatives.

On the other hand, by voting, at least we already join the system to pick the right person. We could put our hope to the old faces that done good or to new faces who we knew their qualities. We'll see how they do their duty for 5 years. For those who have scandals like corruption, (or sex tape maybe) we must to scratch them out from our head. Again, choose carefully.

It also goes to the political parties: please, oh please give us a list of good candidates, not those bad and selfish corruptors. The party has the capacity to select the candidates. We can learn from this election, everyone could be a candidate as long as they have money or popularity even this people don't have the quality. If the party giving us good politicians that care people problems, then it's easier for us to vote.

As a good citizen, we have to learn to appreciate people and try to find the best people. We can not only put all the responsibilities to the candidates, the party and the election committee. But we could starts from our selves by joining the election and finding the best (or even the best amongst the worse). It is a way to educate people about politics.

 

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Do you think getting higher education nowadays a luxury? Is your campus becoming more like an enterprise? The controversy over the new law on education institution reached another stage when a group of students, parents, teachers and university lecturers demanded recently for the Constitution Court to annul it under the argument that the law was not in line with people's constitutional rights to education.

Whatever your stance, please also provide your own ideas on how to make a prevailing law that will better the country's education system.

Explain your stance in 400 words and send it to discover@thejakartapost.com. The best pro and con arguments (one each) will be released in the next issue of Discover on May 17.

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