T

he way campaigning between the two presidential candidates is going, many of us would-be voters are becoming increasingly dismayed and appalled at, among other things, the lack of maturity, integrity, sense of fair play and far-sightedness displayed by both presidential candidates and their supporters.

In ancient times, Aristotle said every country got the government it deserves. Hence, it is not surprising that many of us are of the opinion that the presidential candidates we have now are the best of the worst, and we, the people, just have to accept that fact.

If presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto really once said that all groups, including the radical ones, should be involved in developing the nation, then at the same time Prabowo should have made it very clear that he also intended to pull out the poisoned fangs of these viperous hard-line groups first, rid them of all impurities and reeducate their members regarding the true tenets of Islam.

I myself would have vastly preferred Prabowo, on whom many have now pinned their hopes, to be very firm in stating the moral and spiritual values that he stands for, not only with these radical groups, but also with all those public and not-so-public figures that have now become his associates, and are now campaigning for him.

No one among us is an angel yet, and all of humans have had unpleasant, even dark and sinful experiences in the past, which we would like to expunge totally and forever. But the real proof of breaking irrevocably and completely with a transgression-tainted past is to go forward and sin no more '€” and not associate with those who do, in their efforts to fulfill their ambitions.

If one is not extremely careful, the close association with those who do not conscientiously follow the divine laws of the creator and who have been known to be involved in odious crimes, will certainly bring one down.

Tami Koestomo
Bogor, West Java