Siswono highlights reasons behind Soeharto's renomination<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The country's political elite have renominated
\nincumbent President Soeharto because they are not ready to fill
\nhis shoes, Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Siswono said it was a sense of inability to measure up to
\nSoeharto's outstanding achievements that had kept the elite from
\ninitiating a succession of national leadership.<\/p>\n
\"Given (Soeharto's) great achievement, many members of the
\npolitical elite are not accustomed to seeing this nation live
\nwithout Pak Harto,\" he told reporters after installing eight
\nsenior officials at the ministry.<\/p>\n
As a young soldier, Soeharto took part in Indonesia's struggle
\nfor independence from the Dutch in the late 1940s. He led a
\nlegendary military attack in 1949 to occupy the republic's then
\ncapital of Yogyakarta for six hours.<\/p>\n
At 42, he was appointed by then President Sukarno as the chief
\nof a military operation to wrest West Irian from the Dutch in
\n1963. Two years later he led the Army to quash a coup attempt by
\nthe now outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.<\/p>\n
Siswono said political stability and economic prosperity in
\nthe past 30 years were Soeharto's finest accomplishments.<\/p>\n
The dominant Golkar, the Armed Forces and the bureaucracy, and
\nthe Moslem-based United Development Party have announced their
\nsupport for Soeharto's renomination for the seventh five-year
\nterm.<\/p>\n
Soeharto accepted the renomination, but Siswono speculated
\nthat the incumbent 76-year-old President might have expected that
\nthe existing political organizations would choose another figure,
\nand wanted to play a backseat role as an advisor.<\/p>\n
\"He (Soeharto) knows that at his advanced age, the advisory
\nrole fits him the best. He realizes that the country is in need
\nof figures who are physically fit, are bright and wise enough to
\nbrave the present difficulties,\" said Siswono, who is now
\ncompleting his second successive cabinet term.<\/p>\n
Siswono was referring to Soeharto's speech in the 33rd Golkar
\nanniversary reception in October last year. Soeharto said then
\nthat even when he was no longer leading the country, he would
\ncontinue to offer his advise and encouragement to the people and
\nthe future government.<\/p>\n
But Siswono warned that the failure to choose alternative
\nnational leaders would be hazardous to the country.<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly will convene next March to
\nelect a president and vice president. By convention, each of the
\nfive factions in the Assembly will consult the elected president
\nfirst before making its vice presidential nominations, a practice
\nthat in the past virtually gave Soeharto prerogative to choose
\nhis second in command.<\/p>\n
Siswono suggested the Assembly not leave the election of the
\nvice president to the elected president.<\/p>\n
\"The vice president is elected by the Assembly and is required
\nto be able to cooperate with the president,\" he said, adding that
\nif the vice president failed to meet the requirements, they
\nshould resign. (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/siswono-highlights-reasons-behind-soehartos-renomination-1447893297",
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