DPR sets 1999 election date<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR)
\nHarmoko announced on Thursday that the general election will be
\nheld on June 7 and that the newly elected People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) will convene on Aug. 29.<\/p>\n
But Harmoko did not specify when the MPR would elect the new
\npresident, saying that the main agenda on Aug. 29 would be the
\nswearing in of the new MPR members and the establishment of the
\nMPR working committee.<\/p>\n
The announcement, made in the foyer of the DPR building, came
\nafter a meeting with President B.J. Habibie. The President, who
\nwas present during the announcement to the media, refused to take
\nquestions.<\/p>\n
The two leaders also agreed to accelerate the investigation
\ninto the massive fortune that former president Soeharto and his
\nfamily allegedly amassed during his 32-year rule.<\/p>\n
However, Habibie abandoned the idea of establishing an
\nindependent commission to carry out an investigation of Soeharto
\nafter many respected public figures declined offers to join the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
These figures, who would have lent credibility to the team,
\nrefused after learning that the team would have little
\ninvestigative power and would be limited to making
\nrecommendations on courses of action for Habibie to pursue.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Muladi told reporters in the DPR foyer
\nthat growing public distrust over the plan had influenced
\nHabibie's decision to drop the idea, "at least for now".<\/p>\n
"Considering the pros and cons, the government has first
\ndecided to utilize the existing state institutions," Muladi said,
\nreferring to the Attorney General's Office as the primary
\ninstitution to conduct the investigation.<\/p>\n
Habibie has come under strong public pressure to step up the
\ninvestigation of Soeharto's wealth, one of the key demands of
\nrecent student demonstrations in Jakarta and elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Thursday's announcement of the election date and the agreement
\nto accelerate the Soeharto investigation appeared to be aimed at
\nplacating critics of Habibie who say that he has been stalling on
\nboth issues.<\/p>\n
While the announcement of the election date was widely
\nexpected, the plan to convene the MPR meeting in August instead
\nof December as first planned, came only after questions were
\nraised about the long gap between the two events, which would
\nhave effectively made Habibie a lame duck president.<\/p>\n
The MPR will elect a president and vice president, and endorse
\nthe broad outlines of state policy.<\/p>\n
The DPR and the government are currently deliberating several
\nbills related to next year's general election.<\/p>\n
Regarding the investigation of Soeharto, after consulting with
\nthe DPR, the State Secretariat released copies of the President's
\ninstructions to Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi Muhammad Ghalib to
\n"immediately take proactive, effective and efficient measures to
\ncombat corruption, collusion and nepotism".<\/p>\n
In the decree, Habibie ordered Ghalib "to promptly take legal
\nsteps to investigate former president Soeharto, who is suspected
\nof having engaged in corruption, collusion and nepotism."<\/p>\n
The decree also reminded the Attorney General to uphold the
\nprinciple of the presumption of innocence while conducting the
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung later explained that
\nthe government has discovered accounts belonging to Soeharto in
\n72 banks, including eight foreign banks, worth Rp 23 billion
\n(US$3 million).<\/p>\n
Forbes magazine at one time put the Soeharto family's fortune
\nat $16 billion, but later downgraded this sum to $4 billion
\nfollowing the Asian economic crisis. Other estimates put the
\nfamily's total wealth as high as $40 billion.<\/p>\n
The Soeharto investigation was mandated by a decree issued by
\nthe MPR in its Special Session last month.<\/p>\n
Critics however have doubted whether Habibie, a protege of
\nSoeharto, has the resolution to see the investigation through.<\/p>\n
Last weekend, Soeharto's lawyer warned that the former
\npresident would drag down Habibie and other government officials
\nif the investigation reached the courts.<\/p>\n
This was the second time since he became President in May that
\nHabibie has paid a visit to Harmoko for consultations.<\/p>\n
Habibie was accompanied by his four coordinating ministers and
\nother key Cabinet members. Harmoko was accompanied by his four
\ndeputies. (prb\/emb)<\/p>",
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