PPP decides to renominate Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Incumbent President Soeharto moved a step closer
\nto receiving an unanimous vote for his renomination to another
\nterm after the United Development Party (PPP) announced its
\nsupport of him yesterday.<\/p>\n
It was the second declaration of support after the dominant
\nGolkar named Soeharto the sole candidate for the presidential
\nelection in March, earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party has yet to announce its stance
\nbut deputy chairwoman Fatimah Achmad has welcomed Soeharto's
\nrenomination for the 1998\/2003 term. Two other factions at the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly, the Armed Forces and the Regional
\nRepresentatives, are traditional allies of Golkar and invariably
\nsupport Golkar's stance.<\/p>\n
PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said here yesterday PPP
\nchose Soeharto because he is a great leader and because the
\ncountry needs such a figure to survive future challenges.<\/p>\n
"Nobody in the party opposes our decision," Ismail said of the
\ndecision making process. He said the Yogyakarta office, which
\npreviously nominated government critic Amien Rais, also approved
\nthe stance.<\/p>\n
The PDI may make its formal stance next month when its leaders
\nconvene to deliberate its presidential and vice presidential
\ncandidates.<\/p>\n
"We were actually the first to renominate Pak Harto," said
\nIsmail, dismissing suggestions that the party was only parroting
\nGolkar.<\/p>\n
"We decided to announce our presidential candidate today
\nbecause we were too busy with the People's Consultative Assembly
\nsessions," he said.<\/p>\n
Ismail said he met Soeharto on Jan. 7 to ask that he be ready
\nto be nominated to another term.<\/p>\n
"As a fighter I will not run away from my responsibilities,"
\nIsmail quoted Soeharto as saying.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, The Straits Times reported from Singapore yesterday
\nthat Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew expects tough times ahead for
\nIndonesia but thinks President Soeharto will not evade his
\nresponsibility to see the country through the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
"It is a time of crisis. I don't think he's going to evade his
\nresponsibility. He's got to see his country through," the daily
\nnewspaper quoted Lee as saying at a news conference in Bangkok
\nfor Singapore reporters.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, PPP also named six vice presidential candidates.
\nThe party will choose from among them in another leadership
\nmeeting prior to the Assembly's March session.<\/p>\n
They are incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno, State Minister
\nof Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, State Minister of
\nNational Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of
\nInformation R. Hartono, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto and
\nIsmail himself.<\/p>\n
The party also received motions from several groups in support
\nof Amien, ousted chairperson of PDI Megawati Soekarnoputri and
\nchairman of the country's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul
\nUlama, Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Ismail said it was not clear, however, whether the groups
\nwanted the three figures as presidential or vice presidential
\ncandidates. "They only named the three as 'national leaders',"
\nIsmail said.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Harmoko said the PPP's announcement proved
\nthat the nation only wanted Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Megawati responded coolly to Soeharto's decision to run in the
\npresidential election in March.<\/p>\n
"It's normal...The problem is how far a presidential candidate
\nwill fight it out to materialize the ideals of our independence,"
\nshe said, reiterating her wish to join the presidential race.
\n(imn\/amd)<\/p>\n
Vice president -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppp-decides-to-renominate-soeharto-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }