TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri asserted that she was not asking the people to vote for her as president in the upcoming general election.
The fifth Indonesian president also hoped that this year's general election could be conducted democratically. "I'm not asking the public to vote for me, Jokowi or Risma," she said during a public lecture at Surabaya University, Saturday, March 1, 2014.
According to Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's first President Soekarno, general election has often become an arena to fight over power. Thus, she called on the people to be smart in voting for the next leader.
She further said that many future leaders only think about how to enrich themselves; as a result, she said, many things are done [to reach that goal] including by practicing corruption, collusion and nepotism. "How can Indonesians have dignity if we always think pragmatically?" she said.
Nowadays, Mega further said, that pragmatic though has made many Indonesians undermine the potentials of their own nation although in fact, natural resources and human resources that country has can compete with those of other countries. "Indonesia must not transform herself into a failed state," she uttered.
DEWI SUCI RAHAYU
