More calls for transparent nomination<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Calls for more transparent presidential and vice
\npresidential nominations are increasing, with the latest calls
\ncoming from two political leaders.<\/p>\n
Alamsjah Ratu Perwiranegara, a former aide to President
\nSoeharto and the Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
\nSecurity, Soesilo Soedarman, said Thursday that transparent
\nnominations facilitated openness and public political education.
\nThe two were speaking separately.<\/p>\n
Alamsjah said the new People's Consultative Assembly (MPR),
\nwhich will be sworn in on Oct. 1 and convene next March to elect
\nthe next president and vice president, should seek ideas from the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said he supported the idea of people naming the
\nnominees. \"That way, people will become accustomed to expressing
\nopinions and naming candidates,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The minister said there should not be any problems for
\npolitical contestants to name presidential and vice-presidential
\ncandidates well before the MPR holds its general assembly.<\/p>\n
\"The electoral laws do not prohibit contestants from naming
\npresidential and vice-presidential candidates during the election
\ncampaign,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alamsjah said he was confident President Soeharto would be
\nreelected and that Vice President Try Sutrisno had the
\nopportunity to be reelected.<\/p>\n
\"President Soeharto has a complete personal record on Try
\nSutrisno since 1979. He knows Try very well. This (the reelection
\nof a vice president) wouldn't be the first time it happened,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Excluding Try, four vice presidents have served under
\nSoeharto. They are the late Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Adam
\nMalik, Umar Wirahadikusumah and Sudharmono.<\/p>\n
He cited early 1978 when President Soeharto asked then vice
\npresident Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono to serve a second term. Sri
\nSultan, then also the Sultan of Yogyakarta, declined.<\/p>\n
Alamsjah said the vice presidential candidates should be
\ncapable, acceptable and able to cooperate with the elected
\npresident.<\/p>\n
He said Soeharto would only choose a candidate he could rely
\non. \"He learned a lesson from the former president of Pakistan,
\nZulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was executed in 1978 upon the order of
\nZia Ul-Haq, his successor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ali Bhutto was Pakistan's president from 1971 to 1977.<\/p>\n
As for the vice presidential nomination, Soesilo said each of
\nthe five factions at the People's Consultative Assembly had the
\nrights to name their own candidates.<\/p>\n
\"They will then meet the elected president to discuss the
\ncandidates. The president will choose the candidate he believes
\nwill be best able to cooperate with him,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), the dominant
\nGolkar and the Christian-nationalist alliance Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) are contesting the May 29 general
\nelections. At stake are 425 seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives. Another 75 seats are allocated for the armed
\nforces whose members do not vote.<\/p>\n
The 500 House members are part of the 1,000-member People's
\nConsultative Assembly. It has five factions: PPP, Golkar, PDI,
\nthe armed forces and representatives of social groups. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-calls-for-transparent-nomination-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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