Golkar says all nominations for Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ruling political group Golkar has received
\nnumerous nominations for Indonesia's next president from various
\nsupporters. All had one name: the incumbent Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Harmoko told reporters that many mass
\norganizations and individual supporters had called on Golkar to
\nnominate Soeharto for the 1998\/2003 term.<\/p>\n
\"A heap of letters demanding Pak Harto's reelection have
\nfilled up our cabinet. So far, we haven't heard any other name,\"
\nHarmoko said.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, however, refused to formally announce Golkar's
\nposition on the subject until after a leadership meeting
\nscheduled for Oct. 17 to Oct. 20.<\/p>\n
\"We just want to stick to the procedures we have already
\nagreed on. We will take the public's aspirations into account,
\nbut you can guess what the trend means,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly will meet in March to elect
\na president and vice president and to endorse the State Policy
\nGuidelines for the next five years.<\/p>\n
Political analysts say that the 76-year-old Soeharto is almost
\ncertain to once again be the lone candidate in the presidential
\nelection. Speculation instead has focused on who will fill the
\nnumber two slot currently held by Try Sutrisno.<\/p>\n
Golkar will dominate the Assembly, with a faction of 488 of
\nthe 1,000 members. The others are the Armed Forces (113 members),
\nthe United Development Party (134), the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (16) and the Regional Representatives Faction (149). The
\nremaining 100 seats are given out to representatives from mass
\norganizations and professional groups.<\/p>\n
Harmoko said Golkar had set a number of criteria that its
\npresidential candidate should have. They are: capable of
\nmaintaining national unity, acceptable by all groups in society,
\npossess leadership qualities recognized both at home and abroad,
\nand be experienced in implementing the ideals of the New Order
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Golkar will support one candidate only. \"There is always only
\none best choice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Harmoko rejected political observer Amien Rais' proposal to
\nhold a dialog on the future president, saying that the Assembly
\nmeeting was enough to accommodate various aspirations from the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
\"The session itself is a dialog, because it gathers all
\npolitical organizations and interests in the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Harmoko reiterated that Golkar would not disclose its vice
\npresidential nomination until the president had been elected.<\/p>\n
\"Our constitution says the vice president must be able to
\ncooperate with the president. We have to consult with the elected
\npresident to decide on his\/her companion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Golkar was aware of public opinions on the future vice
\npresident, but added that it had yet to receive letters of
\nsupport for any particular individual from its constituency.<\/p>\n
\"Let people trade arguments on vice presidential candidates,
\nbecause our democracy is open to differences. But we will abide
\nby our principles,\" Harmoko said.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, who led Golkar to a landslide victory in the May
\ngeneral election, is regarded a potential candidate for the
\nnumber two job, along with Minister of Information R. Hartono,
\nMinister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Minister of
\nNational Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana
\nhas lately been included on the list.<\/p>\n
\"We would be wasting our time if we named our vice
\npresidential candidate now, only to find later that he or she
\ncannot work together with the elected president,\" he said. (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkar-says-all-nominations-for-soeharto-1447893297",
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