ABRI prepares to secure MPR plenary meeting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Commanders and top officials of the Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) will meet next month in Jakarta to map out a contingency
\nplan against disturbances during March's plenary meeting of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said yesterday that
\nthe meeting will focus on preparing a plan aimed at cracking down
\non any possible security disturbances during the meeting which
\nwill see the assembly elect the president and vice president.<\/p>\n
"I will particularly ask for a report from the Jakarta
\nMilitary Command on its physical readiness in the field, then on
\nthe stance of the ABRI faction in the People's Consultative
\nAssembly," Feisal said after meeting with President Soeharto at
\nhis residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The 1,000-strong assembly in March will elect a new president
\nand vice president and endorse the State Policy Guidelines.<\/p>\n
When pressed by journalists to elaborate on the possible
\nthreats to the assembly, Feisal said: "We will crack down on any
\nanti-government movements."<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces leadership meeting will be held here from
\nFeb. 10 to Feb. 12.<\/p>\n
During yesterday's meeting Feisal assured Soeharto that
\npolitical stability was fully under control despite the
\neconomic crisis. He added that the Armed Forces would do its best
\nto ensure order and security.<\/p>\n
andidate<\/p>\n
With many believing that Soeharto, 76, will be reelected for
\nhis seventh consecutive term, people's attention has become more
\nfocused on the vice presidency.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces leadership meeting next month is also
\nexpected to discuss vice presidential candidates as six of the 13
\nregistered candidates in the Assembly have military backgrounds.<\/p>\n
The six include: Vice President Try Sutrisno, Minister of
\nDefense and Security Edi Sudradjat, Minister of Information R.
\nHartono, State Minister of National Development Planning
\nGinandjar Kartasasmita, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto and
\nFeisal Tanjung himself.<\/p>\n
So far the Armed Forces faction has kept a tight lid on their
\nnomination for the vice presidency.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces' decision will be influential in determining
\nthe final choice.<\/p>\n
In February 1993, ABRI's faction chairman Lt. Gen. Harsudiyono
\nHartas officially nominated its then commander Gen. Try Sutrisno
\nwithout proper consultation with Soeharto.<\/p>\n
When asked yesterday about who the Armed Forces would support
\nthis time, Feisal brushed the question aside.<\/p>\n
"That's a question for later. We'll let you know when the time
\nis right," he said.<\/p>\n
Separately the Golkar chairman, Harmoko, said yesterday
\nevening that the organization would eventually issue just one
\ncandidate for the vice presidency.<\/p>\n
"We will only issue our vice presidential candidate through
\nGolkar faction in the general meeting of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly next March," Harmoko told reporters after a
\nbreaking-of-the-fast gathering, held at the Golkar secretariat in
\nSlipi, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said that the candidate would likely be the same as the one
\nissued by the Armed Forces faction.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the candidate was a civilian or a military
\nmember, Harmoko said the most important thing was that the
\ncandidate was credible, capable, acceptable to all elements in
\nsociety and able to cooperate with the elected president.
\n(prb\/imn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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