Habibie yet to decide on his reelection<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said yesterday that he
\nhad yet to decide whether or not to run for the presidency in
\nnext year's planned general elections, saying it is too early for
\nhim to decide since his mind is preoccupied with lifting the
\nnation out of its crisis.<\/p>\n
His response seemed to backtrack on previous remarks he made
\nearlier this month that he would not run for the presidency.<\/p>\n
Habibie was responding yesterday to a question from eight
\nleaders of the Muhammadiyah's Youth Organization, whom he met
\nyesterday, who asked him whether press reports citing he is
\nunwilling to run for the presidency were true.<\/p>\n
\"I found the (journalist's) question very strange, because I
\nhad just began my task (as president) and then people were asking
\nme about what would happen in 2000,\" the Muhammadiyah Youth
\norganization chairman Hajriyanto Thohari quoted Habibie as saying
\nduring their meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office.<\/p>\n
Hajriyanto claimed that Habibie was now enveloped in solving
\nnational issues rather than his own election.<\/p>\n
\"What's important now for Pak Habibie is to provide basic
\nessentials, to rehabilitate the economy and to create job
\nopportunities,\" the youth leader said.<\/p>\n
In an interview earlier this month, Habibie pointed out that
\nhe had no plans to continue as head of state after the next
\npresidential election next year.<\/p>\n
He reaffirmed his position with leaders of the Indonesian
\nChamber of Industry and Trade two days later saying that it was
\nenough for him to lead the nation into having a newly democratic
\ngovernment next year.<\/p>\n
It is unclear why he now seems to be backtracking on his
\ninitial statements.<\/p>\n
Habibie's own explanation yesterday was vague, \"You must
\nunderstand that many guests come here. Some of them were very
\noutspoken and didn't agree with my position as Indonesia's third
\npresident, and you must also know there were even guests who
\nopenly said 'you have no right to be seated there (as
\npresident)'\".<\/p>\n
Habibie also assured them that he was his own man and not just
\na puppet of former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless Habibie conceded having many fond memories of
\nSoeharto whom has known for 49 years.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that since being sworn in as president on May
\n21, the first contact he had with Soeharto was when he telephoned
\nhis predecessor on his 77th birthday on June 8.<\/p>\n
\"Frankly speaking, I do miss you Pak,\" Hajriyanto quoted
\nHabibie as telling Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"I miss you too,\" Soeharto replied, said Habibie. (prb)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/habibie-yet-to-decide-on-his-reelection-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }