Jenny Grant, Jakarta – President Suharto has defended Indonesia's electoral process, insisting it is not a device to re-elect his Government.
"The election is not a ploy by the Government to maintain the status quo. It's a forum for the people to exercise their basic rights," he told a weekend gathering of the Indonesian Ulemas Council, the nation's top Muslim body.
The ruling Golkar party, which Mr Suharto heads, has won each general election since 1971. It secured 68 per cent of the vote in the 1992 polls and party officials predict it will garner more than 70 per cent in May's elections.
Mr Suharto said the poll results were vital because the representatives would shape state policy for the next century.
"The people's elected representatives will endorse the guidelines of state policy, elect a new president and vice-president. All this is vital for Indonesia to prepare to enter the 21st century," he told Muslim leaders.
But critics say the elections have become a ritual to ensure the continued rule of the President and his New Order Government.
"The comments are nonsense. Suharto says the elections are free, but most people here know they are engineered and manipulated. His speeches are perfect in theory, but the practice is very different," said one political analyst.
The analyst pointed to the case of Megawati Sukarnoputri, ousted as leader of her Indonesian Democracy Party in June last year at a rebel party congress.
The congress had the blessing of the Government and military.
"Megawati was ousted because President Suharto feared the party under her leadership after these elections would dare to stand up to him in Parliament," the analyst said.
Anyone speaking out against the elections or Mr Suharto's rule has been denounced by the Government.
A former Islamic party MP, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, and two of his colleagues were arrested two weeks ago and charged with subversion for distributing Eid-ul-Fitr greeting cards. The cards advocated that Indonesians boycott the general elections and reject the re-election of Mr Suharto at next year's presidential polls.
"The President says everyone is free in these elections but, if so, why is Sri Bintang being interrogated? It is very inconsistent," the analyst said.
The Government has restricted the four-week election campaign by banning street parades and outdoor party rallies.