ABRI may be leaning to Habibie for VP<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The powerful Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) has
\nhinted it may support B.J. Habibie for the vice presidency,
\nboosting the research and technology minister's chances
\nconsiderably after ruling Golkar, the United Development Party
\nand the Indonesian Democratic Party endorsed his candidacy.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, the deputy House speaker from the ABRI
\nfaction, said here last night it had named only one person, a
\ncandidate who was also picked by Golkar.<\/p>\n
Golkar's choices for the nation's second in command, announced
\nlast week, are Habibie and the organization's chairman, Harmoko.<\/p>\n
Asked whether ABRI's pick was Habibie, Syarwan said: "You may
\nbe right ...Insya Allah (with God's blessing) there will be no
\nchanges in the Armed Forces' decision."<\/p>\n
The three-star general said ABRI's announcement of its vice
\npresidential nomination was just a matter of days away.<\/p>\n
Also Saturday, the small Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nsaid it would nominate Habibie. Deputy chairwoman Fatimah Achmad
\nsaid chairman Soerjadi and secretary-general Buttu R. Hutapea
\nwould meet Habibie this afternoon to ask for his willingness to
\nbe the party's candidate.<\/p>\n
She said PDI decided to ask Habibie after it failed to gain
\nthe agreement of other figures to be the candidate.<\/p>\n
"Pak Soerjadi asked several people, but none was willing," she
\nsaid, declining to mention their names.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP)
\nhas announced it also favored Habibie and its own chairman,
\nIsmail Hasan Metareum.<\/p>\n
The party will meet tomorrow to pick a final candidate to be
\nbrought before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) session
\nnext month, according to Jusuf Syakir, the chairman of the PPP
\nfaction at the Assembly.<\/p>\n
In addition to only naming one person, the Armed Forces said
\nit wished its candidate was in agreement with Golkar's. Outgoing
\nABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said earlier in the week the
\nfaction would consult President Soeharto in the event of any
\ndisagreement before announcing its candidate.<\/p>\n
Habibie, Soeharto's confidant for years, was dubbed "super
\nminister" because of his many posts and roles in the country's
\neconomic and political spheres.<\/p>\n
He is also chairman of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
\nIntellectuals (ICMI). Five years ago, it was widely believed the
\norganization was influential in the selection of the 1993-1998
\ncabinet lineup.<\/p>\n
Golkar and its allies -- ABRI and the bureaucracy -- proposed
\nlast month 14 criteria for a vice president, including priorities
\nthat the candidate be a person of vision with superior knowledge
\nof technology, science and industry.<\/p>\n
Speculation grew that the criteria pointed to Habibie.<\/p>\n
ICMI deputy chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro said: "Insya Allah,
\nHabibie will have a greater opportunity for the vice presidency."
\n(imn\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abri-may-be-leaning-to-habibie-for-vp-1447893297",
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