Analysts say strip Soeharto's 'powers'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political observers have recommended the prompt
\nremoval of any political and economic powers that former
\npresident Soeharto might still have, including in the ruling
\nGolkar political organization, to prevent him from making a
\npolitical comeback.<\/p>\n
One way of ensuring this is to give all key political
\npositions to people who are truly committed to reforms, Marzuki
\nDarusman, the deputy chairman of the National Commission of Human
\nRights, said Saturday.<\/p>\n
Political scientist Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia,
\nalso speaking at the weekend, called for the convening of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly to formally remove Soeharto from
\nthe presidency and ensure he would never return to politics.<\/p>\n
He also believed several members of President B.J. Habibie's
\ngovernment were remnants of the Soeharto regime and should also
\nbe removed forthwith.<\/p>\n
Talk has been rife this past week about the possibility that
\nthe nation's former strongman, who resigned from the presidency
\non May 21 under strong public pressure, was maneuvering to stage
\na comeback.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces (ABRI) subsequently warned the nation would
\nnot allow the return of \"old political forces\".<\/p>\n
ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono, said Friday their reappearance would represent a
\nsetback for the country.<\/p>\n
But speculation intensified after it became apparent that two
\nof Soeharto's children -- Siti Hardijanti Rukmana and Bambang
\nTrihatmodjo -- were taking an active role in preparations for
\nnext month's congress of Golkar to elect its new leaders.<\/p>\n
Soeharto is technically still the chief patron of Golkar, the
\npolitical organization which controls the House of
\nRepresentatives and the People's Consultative Assembly. His
\nposition endows him with overriding power over other Golkar
\ncomponents, including the central executive board.<\/p>\n
Key positions<\/p>\n
Marzuki, who formerly served as a Golkar legislator, argued
\nthat proreform figures should assume all the key positions in the
\norganization's congress.<\/p>\n
He said the congress should also restructure its organization
\nand reduce the power of the chief patron to that of an advisor
\nwithout vetoing power.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said it was understandable that people feared the
\nreturn of the \"old political forces\" aligned with Soeharto as the
\nlatter accumulated \"enormous\" resources during his 32 years in
\noffice.<\/p>\n
\"There is fear that Soeharto's resources will be inherited by
\ncertain parties.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki said the fear also stemmed from the nation's
\nexperience with first president Sukarno, whose ranks of
\nsupporters grew when the government tried to disgrace him.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said Susilo's comment was a mild warning to Soeharto
\nbut served more to detach ABRI from its past links with him and
\nhis administration.<\/p>\n
\"They (ABRI) realize that they need to win people's respect in
\nthis era of reform. So it's natural that they want to distance
\nthemselves from the past.\"<\/p>\n
Arbi said Habibie's Cabinet was packed with figures from the
\nSoeharto era, contradicting its purported \"reform\" stance.<\/p>\n
\"These people must be removed, and Habibie's government must
\nbe based on an entirely new political force.\"<\/p>\n
He recounted that in the aftermath of Sukarno's downfall in
\n1966, Soeharto systematically excluded officials who were closely
\nidentified with his predecessor.<\/p>\n
\"There must be a political restructuring, otherwise the old
\nforces could easily stage a comeback.\"<\/p>\n
ABRI should side with the people, Arbi said, because it had
\nonly served the interests of the government under Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI should surrender its sociopolitical role. Otherwise, it
\nstill represents the interest of the old political force.\"<\/p>\n
Arbi said the People's Consultative Assembly must convene to
\nformally revoke the mandate it gave Soeharto in March to give
\ncredence to Habibie.<\/p>\n
\"If the extraordinary session of the Assembly does not revoke
\nthe mandate of Soeharto, the debate on Habibie's legitimacy will
\nnever end.\" (byg)<\/p>",
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