Rumors on Soeharto deplored<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas deplored
\nyesterday unfounded rumors fanned by foreign media that President
\nSoeharto was ill, and said they were \"engineered\".<\/p>\n
After meeting the President, Alatas told reporters that
\nSoeharto's busy schedule and long list of daily meetings proved
\nhis health.<\/p>\n
\"Today he received many guests,\" Alatas said.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, the President met Alatas, Minister of Industry and
\nTrade Tunky Ariwibowo, Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono, West
\nKalimantan Governor Aspar Aswin and a delegation of university
\nrectors.<\/p>\n
Rumors that Soeharto, 75, had suffered a stroke began Tuesday
\nand gained momentum when foreign media linked Wednesday's
\ncancellation of a monthly cabinet meeting to his health.<\/p>\n
Alatas said the meeting was postponed because several
\nministers had not returned from out of town. \"Clearly, everything
\nwas made up. It was engineered,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The rumors grew despite the President's public appearances,
\nincluding receiving the Indonesian National Youth Committee's
\nleaders on Tuesday and making a speech Monday in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Alatas blasted foreign media for producing inaccurate reports
\non the President's health. \"The national press should help
\ncounter these negative and speculative reports.\"<\/p>\n
The news mildly rattled financial markets in Jakarta
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Rumors on the president's supposedly deteriorating health have
\nemerged several times in the past six months.<\/p>\n
When he suddenly went to Germany for a checkup in July, the
\nJakarta Stock Exchange dived and the rupiah dropped slightly. But
\nwhen doctors at the heart clinic in Bad Oeynhausen pronounced
\nSoeharto was healthy for a man of his age, the markets rebounded.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's wellbeing was the talk of the town this week
\nfollowing his statement on Tuesday that people calling for his
\nrenomination for a seventh five-year term in office in 1998
\nshould consider his age.<\/p>\n
Leaders of Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said yesterday they would
\nconsider his statement when their organizations discussed the
\nnomination of presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
All three groups said earlier they were planning to nominate
\nSoeharto during the People's Consultative Assembly's meeting next
\nMarch.<\/p>\n
\"The PPP will take Soeharto's statement into consideration,\"
\nPPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said.<\/p>\n
PDI chairman Soerjadi made a similar pledge, but added: \"I do
\nnot see any indication that Soeharto will step down and refuse to
\nbe renominated.\"<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Harmoko said Soeharto's statement was not mere
\nrhetoric: \"It shows his honesty, as well as his wisdom that
\npeople should really consider his age before renominating him.\"
\n(imn\/mds)<\/p>",
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