Harmoko vague over vice presidency talks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Harmoko was vague yesterday over
\nspeculation that House leaders would discuss the next vice
\npresidential candidacy with a team of presidential advisors
\nscheduled to visit the legislative body today.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe yes, maybe no,\" said Harmoko, who is also chairman of
\nthe 1,000-strong People's Consultative Assembly which will
\nconvene next March to elect a president and vice president.<\/p>\n
Harmoko is also chairman of the dominant Golkar faction that
\nhas declared its support for the renomination of incumbent
\nPresident Soeharto for another five-year term of office next
\nMarch.<\/p>\n
So far, Golkar has not stated its stance on vice presidential
\ncandidates, although one of its affiliates, Kosgoro, has drawn up
\na set of criteria for the second top post.<\/p>\n
Harmoko said that if the presidential advisory team on state
\nideology Pancasila, known here as P-7, would give inputs on the
\nsubject, the legislative body would not treat them any
\ndifferently than those submitted by other groups or individuals.<\/p>\n
\"We will not respond to names of vice presidential candidates
\n(should they be given by the advisory team),\" he told reporters
\nat the House of Representatives. \"We will file them and channel
\nthem to each MPR faction when the time comes.\"<\/p>\n
The same team, led by team chairman, former vice president
\nSudharmono, reported to President Soeharto at the Bina Graha
\npresidential office Tuesday on the current national situation.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was quoted by Sudharmono as saying that only the MPR
\nhas a final say on the vice presidency.<\/p>\n
Separately, political observer Fachry Ali speculated yesterday
\nthat Soeharto's statement indicated he already had his own
\ncandidate for vice presidency.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting with the P-7 team was important. I think the
\nPresident has decided who the person will be,\" Fachry told
\nreporters after a seminar on business ethics here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The only problem is that the candidate's name is yet to be
\nmentioned,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 1945 Constitution stipulates that a president and vice
\npresident are elected in a five yearly meeting of the MPR. Both
\ncan be reelected.<\/p>\n
Several names have been raised as vice presidential material
\nincluding incumbent Try Sutrisno, State Minister of National
\nDevelopment Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, State Minister of
\nResearch and Technology B.J. Habibie and Minister of Defense Edi
\nSudradjat.<\/p>\n
Fachry said that constitutionally discussions on the
\npresidency and vice presidency would only be held at the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) general meeting.<\/p>\n
\"However, a sudden statement by Pak Dhar (Sudharmono's
\nnickname) indicated that the President already has a name for the
\nvice presidency in his pocket,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that the statement should serve as a warning to the
\npublic to quit discourse on vice presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
\"Premature discussions on vice presidential candidates could
\ndisintegrate the nation, and will only divide people,\" he said.
\n(imn\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/harmoko-vague-over-vice-presidency-talks-1447893297",
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