Govt guarantees safety for next MPR session<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has promised a safe general
\nsession of the People's Consultative Assembly next March when the
\nbody will elect a president and vice president.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Edi Sudrajat told a hearing of House
\nCommission I on defense and political affairs yesterday that
\nthere was nothing to worry about.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces and other security personnel were on alert
\nand prepared for possible attempts to disrupt the five-yearly
\ngeneral session, he said.<\/p>\n
"The present and future security conditions are good in
\ngeneral and conducive enough for us to hold the general session.
\nBut it's always necessary to keep an eye out for any attempts to
\ndisrupt the general session," Edi said.<\/p>\n
He was answering a question from the commission on the riots
\nwhich broke out in many cities and towns before and after the
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
The violence before the election peaked in the burning of a
\nshopping center in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan on May 23 that
\nkilled 123 people. Security authorities said that most of those
\nwho died there had been looters.<\/p>\n
More riots hit several towns in East Java as people protested
\nalleged vote-rigging shortly after the May 29 poll.<\/p>\n
Last week, Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
\nSecurity Soesilo Soedarman warned the Armed Forces of possible
\nriots during the general session.<\/p>\n
The 1,000-strong consultative assembly will convene to
\ndeliberate the broad guidelines of state policies and elect a new
\npresident and vice president for 1998 to 2003.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto is widely expected to win a sixth five-year
\nterm. He has yet to announce whether he will run again.<\/p>\n
"There is a possibility that certain groups want to disrupt
\nthe assembly," Soesilo said after meeting President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Soesilo failed to name the groups, but said they belonged to
\n"those who are against our national commitment".<\/p>\n
Last January, Soeharto ordered the establishment of alert
\ncenters in each regency to monitor antigovernment activities that
\ncould lead to unrest.<\/p>\n
Edi reiterated yesterday that a third party had incited the
\nriots and the government was working to gather evidence to bring
\nthe masterminds to court.<\/p>\n
"It takes time to reveal the instigators because we have to
\ncomply with all legal procedures," Edi said.<\/p>\n
He said a few people had not yet accepted the Pancasila state
\nideology and the constitution. He said that such people would
\ntake advantage of any community problems.<\/p>\n
"We fully understand that there are shortcomings in our
\ndevelopment program, despite the success and progress that it has
\ngenerated," Edi said.<\/p>\n
He said the government had tried to enforce laws consistently
\nto deal with socioeconomic disparity and political disharmony
\nthat might cause national instability.<\/p>\n
"The government will always evaluate how development programs
\nare applied and try to address all shortcomings, improve the
\nquality of our bureaucracy and increase public participation," he
\nsaid. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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