---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Dengan mengClick banner sponsor anda menyumbang Rp. 1000,- untuk HomePage IndoNews. ---------------------------------------------------------- KOLOM SUPANGKAT: AN OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR JOHN KERRY New York, January 6, 1999. SENATOR JOHN KERRY [EMAIL PROTECTED] Washington DC Dear Senator, I sent you a letter on December 10, 1998 and you responded immediately the same day. I asked your favor to persuade President Habibie to reactivate the 1955 Election Law which is the one and only Election Law that is fair and square, a historical event unequaled in our national history of the other six general elections. However, judging from the political development, my request seemed to be too obscure from the reality, from the feasibility. I am not going to ask you the human- ly impossible request such as to ask for the cancellation to put the 50 members from the Armed Forces in the House of People's Representatives, the People's Advisory Assembly automatically without election procedures. This would be unrealistic, it is humanly impossible because we have to amend the 45 Constitution which is regarded as "too sacred" to be touched, as if a "taboo", even to be discussed. I now would like to suggest to you to persuade President Habibie just to be fair to the new political parties to let them participate in the election procedures without having to pass the draconian eligibility rules that they must have at least representatives in five provinces. Otherwise they wouldn'tbe eligible to collect votes at all and faded away into nothingness. The fair rules should allow them to receive votes without having to set up branches in five provinces. If the votes they received don't meet the minimum requirement for a seat, they should be allowed to join forces with other small political parties of their choice.The main reason for my request is the financial crisis makes us destitute and unable to afford to finance anything poltical at the same time the ruling Golkar is very affluent since they are supported by the so-called KKN (Corruption, Collusion, Nepotism). I have nowhere else to turn to, you are the only one who can turn around the injustices, unfairness of our election practises and the election bill. Thank you for caring about election fairness in my country, please continue to do good work. Sincerely, H.S. Hidayat Supangkat Indonesia freelance journalist in the US, the UN [EMAIL PROTECTED] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 6 Jan 1999 jam 19:08:38 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
