Candidates for No. 2 man<\/p>\n
After months spent guessing, the nation can now rest assured
\nthat Minister of Research and Technology B. J. Habibie will be
\nelected vice president for the next five-year term.<\/p>\n
His backing by Golkar, a powerful faction in the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR), became ironclad after rival nominee
\nHarmoko, the Assembly speaker, withdrew from the contest.<\/p>\n
Habibie's nomination came as no surprise to the public, who
\nhad been expecting the announcement since the government
\npublished criteria for the future vice president last month.<\/p>\n
The criteria, reportedly drafted by the President himself,
\nstated that the candidate must have a mastery of science and
\ntechnology -- a clause interpreted as a thinly veiled reference
\nto Habibie. This clause is not astounding since convention
\ndictates that the vice president is chosen after consultation
\nwith the elected president, giving Soeharto the prerogative to
\nchoose his second in command.<\/p>\n
By September of last year, Habibie had given strong signals
\nthat he would claim the august post. Disagreeing with a political
\nanalyst who said that civilians were not as qualified as the
\nmilitary to lead the country in the near future, Habibie instead
\ninsisted that the former were more deserving of top leadership
\nposts because they made up the majority of Indonesia's
\npopulation. \"It's deplorable if we allow only a small group to
\nobtain national leadership without giving a chance to the larger
\ngroup,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When his nomination was officially announced last week,
\nreaction at home and abroad was mixed. However, President
\nSoeharto seems to have given little heed to pessimistic comments.
\nHe is telling the world that his decision prevails.<\/p>\n
In this situation we deem it necessary to draw attention to
\nanother nomination for the vice presidential post. A group of
\nacademics, prodemocracy activists from various religious
\nbackgrounds and members of the public have informed the regional
\nfaction in the MPR that they are putting forward the name of Emil
\nSalim, a noted American-educated economist who had held several
\nposts in Soeharto's cabinet.<\/p>\n
It is hard to envisage that their moves will be successful as
\nthey are not backed by any of the powerful factions in the MPR.
\nAlthough the regional faction and the Armed Forces have not yet
\nannounced their nominations, it is highly unlikely that they will
\noppose the President's hand-picked candidate.<\/p>\n
Undeterred, Emil's supporters apparently believe that they
\nhave a moral obligation to remind the people that there is a
\nstrong and able candidate besides the official one. Emil has many
\nstrong points. He has been involved in developing our national
\neconomic power since the early years of the New Order government.
\nHe also has mastery of technology, the environment and
\npopulation, he is close to the grass roots, has a good
\nrelationship with the Armed Forces and lives a sincere and modest
\nlife.<\/p>\n
As an exercise of democracy the initiative is a precious step
\nand will be marked in the national history as evidence of the
\nfact that, even in our present difficult situation, this nation
\nstill yearned for democracy.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/candidates-for-no-2-man-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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