JAKARTA, June 5: "The election will be fun. Don't forget to vote," shouted out one of thousands of flag-waving opposition party supporters in a parade that choked a downtown street, reports AP.

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation and. if all goes to plan on Monday, it will become its third largest democracy.

About 130 million electors living on thousands of islands will be eligible to cast ballots.

The government promises it will be the freest parliamentary election in 44 years, held just 12 months after a wave of riots and protests forced authoritarian President Suharto to quit. ■ Overall it's been a remarkably peaceful and often euphoric election campaign, involving millions of people unaccustomed to freedom.

But outbreaks of sporadic violence among supporters of rival parties highlight the risks the sprawling Southeast Aslan nation still faces in its unsteady transition to democracy as well as its worst economic crisis in a generation.

On the last day of campaigning in the capital Friday troops fired warning shots at an angry mob who attacked supporters of the ruling Golkar Party and burned campaign flags.

Former US President Jimmy Carter, who will be one of hundreds of foreign observers, says it could be the world's most important ballot held this year.

Electoral officials say more than 91 per cent of voters have registered and predict a high turnout for what promises to be the second only truly democratic poll held in 53 years of Independence.

"1 think people really want to take part in this historic vote. They want their voices heard." said one western diplomat. who spoke on condition of anonymity.

During Suharto's 32-year rule. Indonesia put on tightly controlled elections that he boasted were "festivals of democracy."

But there was nothing festive or democratic about them.

Only three officially sanctioned parties were permitted to take part in stage-managed bal-

loting marred by vote-rigging, bribes and intimidation. .

The old autocrat s ruling Golkar Party always enjoyed overwhelming victories and later always ensured the Parliament dutifully re-endorsed him as president.

Election campaigning was almost always stained by violence and bloodshed fueled by the frustrations of the ham-strung electorate kept in place by military might.

Another report adds: A two-day cooling off period began in •Indonesia on Saturday ahead of next week's crucial vote lor a new Parliament in the country's freest election in 44 years.

After 17 days of campaigning. which had clogged the streets of Jakarta with millions

seemed eerily quiet on Saturday. a partial business day in Indonesia.

As the city began pulling down millions of campaigr posters and banners from its buildings and streets h " dreds of international mo. ■ -• ’ rc-pared for Monday s vol