Freest election in 44 years gets under way in Indonesia

91 percent of eligible voters have registered for contest.

The Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesians got their first real taste of democracy since 1955 today, casting ballots for a new Parliament that will try to build on a year of reform but could be hampered by divisions. It was another major step away from authoritarian rule that ended when riots by pro-democracy student groups forced President Suharto to resign in May 1998, after 32 years in power. Ironically, one of the first areas to vote today was East Timor, where many people see the Aug. 8 referendum on the territory's future as far more significant than the national election. "I'll go along with this. But I really don't understand it," said Antonio Britis, one of the earliest voters at makeshift, outdoor polling stations in the heavily guarded capital of Dili. Despite heavy rain this morning, a big turnout was expected, with 91 percent of the 130 million eligible voters registered in the world's fourth most-populous nation and the largest Muslim country. Up for grabs are 462 of Parliament's 500 seats. The rest go to appointees of the powerful military, which isn't allowed to vote. The new legislators will join 200 government appointees to choose a new president in November. Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle was expected to be the big winner, but it appeared unlikely she would win a majority, creating the need for coalitions among the 48 parties that fielded at least 11,000 candidates. Most Indonesians have never voted in a truly free election. The first and last open ballot was in 1955 after the country became independent. The ones that followed were largely rigged to ensure government candidates won. Hundreds of foreign monitors, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, were on hand to help hundreds of thousands of Indonesian volunteers. Watching the voting begin at a soccer field in Rempoa village near Jakarta today, Carter said that if the election is fair and the parties accept the results, no matter who wins, the ballot will be a major breakthrough for Indonesia and its battered economy. "I hope the election will be honest, fair and peaceful," said Carter. The Indonesian government decided Sunday to go ahead with balloting in troubled Aceh province, but said it could be suspended, or not even conducted in some areas, if there are problems with a Muslim insurgency that used violence to push for a boycott. Two main opposition parties also filed complaints Sunday. The National Mandate Party said the logo of its party looked too similar to that of another one on thousands of ballots, and that could confuse voters, especially the many illiterate ones. Megawati's party complained about the circulation of leaflets urging Indonesians not to vote for her secular organization because it is supporting non-Muslim legislative candidates. The election came after a colorful 17-day campaign and a two-day cooling-off period. Preliminary results are expected 24 to 36 hours after the polls close, but tallies from outlying areas will take days, with some ballot boxes being ferried by foot and canoe.

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