Asia Society to Release Report on
Upcoming Elections in Indonesia

Public Programs To Be Held May 10 in New York
And May 11 in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK, May 1, 1999 - Indonesia's severe economic depression and the ouster of President Suharto amid cries of reformasi have produced social and political upheaval in the world's fourth most populous nation. The most open and possibly the most important election in Indonesia's history will take place on June 7, 1999. This historic event will determine the future trajectory of the entire archipelago, hopefully bringing renewed stability and aiding the nation's economic recovery.

In an effort to provide background and analysis at this critical juncture, the Asia Society will release its latest Asian Update on Tuesday, May 11, on the Asia Society's website at http://www.asiasociety.org/publications/indonesia. The Update, Indonesia's 1999 Elections: A Second Chance for Democracy, was authored by Ambassador Edward Masters, president, United States-Indonesia Society, and former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia (1977-81).

In conjunction with the release of this report, a panel discussion will be held in New York on Monday, May 10, at the Asia Society, located at 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street). Advance copies of the Asian Update will be available at the program. Panelists include: Ambassador Masters, Bambang Harymurti, Indonesian daily Tempo; pollster Craig Charney, Charney Research; and elections expert Lorne Craner, International Republican Institute. For more information about this program, the public should call (212) 327-9276. The program will also be held in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, May 11, at the Asia Society, 1800 K Street, NW, B-1 Conference Level. To attend this event, please contact the Asia Society Washington Center at (202) 833-2742.

The report will examine the elections in the context of Indonesian history, describe the newly passed electoral laws, and discuss the eight most important political parties and their key candidates. Valuable appendices include a list of the political parties approved to contest the June elections, a glossary of possible future leaders of Indonesia, and a glossary of political parties with their Indonesian acronyms.

Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller 3rd, the Asia Society has built a reputation as the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan public education organization to broaden American understanding of Asia and of U.S.-Asia relations. Through quality programs, including high-level conferences, symposia, international study missions, press briefings, publications, art exhibitions, performances, initiatives to improve elementary and secondary education about Asia, and assistance to the media, the Society reaches out to a broad range of professionals and citizens interested in foreign affairs and culture. Asia Society is headquartered in New York, with regional centers in Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Melbourne, and representative offices in Seattle, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Manila. Asia Society is on the World Wide Web (www.asiasociety.org). Past issues of Asian Update and other Asia Society publications are available on the Asia Society's website at http://www.asiasociety.org/publications.


MEDIA ONLY: To arrange press coverage of the May 10 event in New York, please call (212) 327-9271. For a free printed copy of the Asian Update Indonesia's 1999 Elections, please fax your request with the following information to the Asia Society Public Relations Office, at (212) 744-8825 or email pr@asiasoc.org:
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