Soeharto meets aides to discuss resignation call<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Following House Speaker Harmoko's call for his
\nresignation, President Soeharto spent hours last night consulting
\nwith Vice President B.J. Habibie, the leaders of the Armed Forces
\nand several aides.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Army Chief of Staff Gen.
\nSubagyo H.S. and Chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves' Command
\n(Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto were among those who visited
\nSoeharto at his residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Security was as usual, but foreign reporters were barred from
\nentering.<\/p>\n
The other visitors were Coordinating Minister for Political
\nAffairs and Security Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Home
\nAffairs Gen. (ret) Hartono, chief of the Intelligence
\nCoordinating Body Lt. Gen. Moetojib, and Jakarta Military
\nCommander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.<\/p>\n
Moetojib told reporters he had asked for Soeharto's response
\nto the legislative body's challenge. According to Moetojib,
\nSoeharto, \"with a calm expression,\" said: \"I will answer this
\nmyself tomorrow (today).\"<\/p>\n
Habibie left after a 30 minute visit. Wiranto, Prabowo and
\nSubagyo left together.<\/p>\n
Wiranto addressed journalists briefly and said: \"I will
\nsafeguard the situation.\"<\/p>\n
After Wiranto drove away, one military policeman came up to
\nwaiting reporters and television crews. \"Please,\" he said, \"Go
\naway. Everyone has gone.\"<\/p>\n
Dismissed<\/p>\n
The military commander went on to the Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nheadquarters where he dismissed Harmoko's call for Soeharto's
\nresignation. He insisted Soeharto remained responsible for
\nsteering the nation through the crisis.<\/p>\n
Feisal said Soeharto \"looked strong and responded well\" to the
\ndevelopments. He also said the Armed Forces remained \"solid.\"<\/p>\n
Also present were Minister\/State Secretary Saadilah Mursjid,
\nCoordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita, Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision
\nand State Administrative Reforms Hartarto Sastrosoenarto, and
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare Haryono Suyono.<\/p>\n
Some journalists said they also caught a glimpse of Soeharto's
\neldest daughter, Minister of Social Services Siti Hardijanti
\nRukmana.<\/p>\n
Hartono made a point of telling reporters that, contrary to
\nrumors, all of President Soeharto's offspring were in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He also insisted that the call for President Soeharto to
\nresign was unconstitutional. \"...according to the Constitution,
\nthe DPR (the House of Representatives) cannot topple the
\nPresident and the President cannot topple the DPR.<\/p>\n
\"If there was a statement issued urging President Soeharto to
\nresign, I also wonder whether that was constitutional,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Saadilah stayed until very late yesterday. No information came
\nfrom him.<\/p>\n
This morning, President Soeharto is scheduled to hold a dialog
\nat Merdeka Palace with \"community leaders\", top military officers
\nand cabinet ministers.<\/p>\n
No information as to when Soeharto would announce his new
\ncabinet, was available. Sources said an announcement had been
\nplanned for yesterday afternoon, but was canceled following
\nHarmoko's statement. (prb\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-meets-aides-to-discuss-resignation-call-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}