Some 112 million people go to the polls tomorrow to vote for a new parliament, as well as provincial and district assemblies, choosing from 48 parties. Many parties are newcomers on the political scene, while others have been resurrected after being banned during Suharto'S 32-year authoritarian rule. Sukarno's daughter Megawati is one of the main challengers to Habibie with her Indonesia People's Party-Struggle attracting a huge following.

Suharto's protege President B J Habibie has pledged the polls will be the freest since elections held under Indonesian founding father Sukarno in 1955.

But a lingering distrust of the authorities has raised fears that Golkar, one of only three parties allowed under Suharto, could try to skew the polls. The polling stations were being set up at the last minute to ensurethere could be no tampering with them, election officials said. ``The earlier we set up a polling station, the greater the chances for some kind of intervention'' by anyone wanting to rig the polls, said Indra Indrawan, from the press centre set up by the election commission .