ABSTRACT
In accordance with the doctrine of the dual function, the military, as a nationally unifying force, was supposed to be politically neutral and to stand above electoral and party politics. Military personnel were consequently not allowed to vote in the general elections, and the military’s task in the ‘festival of democracy’ was instead to act as catalyst and facilitator for the three election contestants, and to maintain order and security. The proclaimed political neutrality of the armed forces was, however, somewhat ambiguous because of the historical and personal links between Golkar and the military. In earlier New Order elections, the military had overtly supported Golkar in the election campaigns, but in the 1987 election, the military’s support for Golkar had been less conspicuous and the principle of political neutrality had been relatively better upheld than in earlier elections. This strategy, which was linked to General Moerdani and the rift between the Golkar leadership and the military, was continued in 1992, and after the election the military was widely praised for its neutral behaviour.1
