Jakarta – Politicians from four of Indonesia's 48 political parties planning to contest in the June 7 general election Tuesday took part in the first ever open public debate among presidential hopefuls.
The debate, organised by students at the state University of Indonesia, featured Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party, Yusril Ihza Mahendra of the Moslem-oriented Crescent and Star Party, Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Union Democratic party and Justice Party's Didin Hafidhuddin.
Only two of the candidates – Amien Rais and Mahendra – engaged in an animated exchange, in the first such exercise in Indonesia where previously, Suharto, ousted as president last year ensured there was virtually no contest.
Mahendra, proposed a parliamentary system of governance and criticised Rais' favouring of coalitions, saying it put a heavy stress on distribution of political posts in the presidential cabinet.
"This is because he doesn't understand what coalition is all about in the context of state administration," Mahendra said. But Rais argued that a change to the parliamentary system would require amendement of the constitution.
Mahendra said although his party was Moslem-oriented, it respected plurality and the party was willing to share with non-Moslem ministers.
All candidates agreed that Suharto, who is under official scrutiny over alleged corruption and abuse of power during his 32 year reign, should be brought to trial. "If 97.5 percent of the fortune he got from corruption is returned, we will pardon him," Rais said.
Hafidhuddin, whose party draws wide support from Moslem student activists, stressed the "development of the nation's character through religion."
"So far our slogan has been that Indonesia is not a country based on religion but also not a secular country," he said.
The Indonesian constitution gives equal footing to the five religions it recognises – Islam, Catholicism, Christian Protestantism, Buddhism and Hinduism.
Indonesia is the world's largest Moslem-populated nation where followers of Islam account for some 90 percent of the 202 million people.