`I QUIT'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Bowing to pressure, president Soeharto announced
\nhis resignation yesterday and immediately handed power over to
\nvice president B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
\"I quit as president,\" Soeharto said in a short ceremony
\nbroadcast nationwide shortly after 9 a.m. from Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
The room fell silent as he explained, reading from a prepared
\ntext, about his reasons for stepping down from the position he
\nhas held for 32 years.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, 77 years old, said the country's situation had
\nbecome such that it was impossible for him to carry out his state
\nduties.<\/p>\n
In stepping down, he invoked Article 8 of the 1945
\nConstitution, and took note of the views of the leaders of the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
\"I hereby declare that I quit as president of the Republic of
\nIndonesia, effective from the time I'm reading this statement
\ntoday, Thursday, May 21, 1998.\"<\/p>\n
Soeharto disbanded the cabinet which he formed shortly after
\nhis reelection for a seventh five-year presidential term in
\nMarch.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was attended, among others, by Habibie,
\nSoeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, who was also
\nthe minister of social services, Minister of Defense and
\nSecurity\/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Chief Justice
\nSarwata and Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, commander of the Army's
\nStrategic Reserve Command and also Soeharto's son-in-law.<\/p>\n
Dozens of local and foreign journalists were present to record
\nthe historic event.<\/p>\n
After the announcement, Habibie took his oath of office before
\nChief Justice Sarwata to become Indonesia's third president.
\nSoeharto said that according to the Constitution, Habibie would
\nserve the remainder of the five-year term until 2003.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Soeharto met with DPR leaders, including Speaker
\nHarmoko, at Merdeka Palace. The content of the meeting was not
\ndisclosed. But Harmoko had asked Soeharto on Monday to resign for
\nthe sake of national unity. On Tuesday, Harmoko secured the
\nsupport of all of the House's factions.<\/p>\n
Analysts believe the real turning point came Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Gen. Wiranto went to Soeharto's Jl. Cendana residence to
\ndeliver a message on the behalf of the Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nleadership asking the president to resign, informed sources said.<\/p>\n
Up until then, ABRI had stood by Soeharto despite mounting
\ncalls for his resignation.<\/p>\n
The sources said the military's top brass had met earlier
\nWednesday and decided the situation demanded the president stand
\ndown rather than the possibility of an impeachment process.<\/p>\n
A group of cabinet ministers, led by coordinating minister for
\neconomy, finance and industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita, reportedly
\ntendered their resignations that night, adding pressure for
\nSoeharto to stand down.<\/p>\n
Senior statesman Sudharmono, vice president between 1988 and
\n1993 and once Soeharto's most trusted aide, went to Cendana to
\nadvise the president to make the inevitable decision.<\/p>\n
Soeharto had previously resisted calls for him to immediately
\nresign. On Saturday, he said he was prepared to step aside,
\nprovided it was done in a constitutional manner.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, he offered to step down after holding a general
\nelection based on new election laws. But the reform committee
\nwhich he had proposed to draft the new law never materialized and
\nhis proposal was shot down before he even had the chance to name
\nits members.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said he had decided to step down to enable the nation
\nto carry out its reform program in an orderly, peaceful and
\nconstitutional manner.<\/p>\n
\"I thank people for their support and assistance to me during
\nmy tenure in leading the country. I apologize for my mistakes and
\nshortcomings, and I hope that Indonesia will remain strong,\" said
\nSoeharto, who looked composed.<\/p>\n
Soeharto explained that the oath-taking ceremony could not be
\nheld at the DPR building as it should, because thousands of the
\nstudents had been occupying the compound.<\/p>\n
After the ceremony, Soeharto congratulated Habibie, who is 16
\nyears his junior. Habibie kissed the elder statesman's hand.<\/p>\n
Gen. Wiranto, in his capacity as ABRI chief, addressed
\njournalists after Soeharto and Habibie made their exit during
\nwhich he declared the military's support for Soeharto's
\nresignation and Habibie's appointment as president.<\/p>\n
Declaring ABRI firmly united, Wiranto appealed to the nation
\nto respect Soeharto's personal wishes, and to maintain calm and
\nprevent unrest and other forms of violence.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI will protect the safety and dignity of all former
\npresidents, including president Soeharto and his family,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's half brother Probosutedjo, in a television
\ninterview, denied rumors yesterday that Soeharto's children and
\ngrandchildren had fled the country.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's limousine had previously carried the license number
\n\"Indonesia 1\", though when he left in the same car the plate
\nnumber had been changed to B 2044 AR.<\/p>\n
The old plate number was placed on Habibie's official
\nlimousine.<\/p>\n
\"Where is the next media conference to be held?\" Soeharto
\nasked his daughter Hardijanti as they walked toward the limo,
\napparently mistaken that the new President was going to brief
\njournalists.<\/p>\n
\"Over there Pak,\" Hardijanti pointed at the State Guest House.
\n(prb\/emb\/lem)<\/p>",
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