Soeharto reelected for 7th term<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 1,000-seat People's Consultative Assembly
\nreelected President Soeharto to a seventh five-year term
\nyesterday in smooth proceedings lasting less than 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, who will turn 77 on June 8, will take his
\npresidential oath at the Assembly today, the close of the 11-day
\ncongress. He will also make his inaugural address in the morning
\nsession.<\/p>\n
The new vice president, most likely B.J. Habibie, will be
\nsworn in separately and make his inaugural speech at the Assembly
\ntonight.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's election was a formality as all the Assembly
\nfactions -- Golkar, the Armed Forces (ABRI), regional
\nrepresentatives, United Development Party (PPP) and Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) -- had previously endorsed him as their
\npresidential choice.<\/p>\n
All factions also nominated Habibie, a long-time Soeharto
\nconfidante and outgoing state minister of research and
\ntechnology, for vice president.<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Harmoko opened yesterday's session, attended
\nby 923 Assembly members, at 9 a.m., and formally closed it at
\nabout 9:25 a.m.<\/p>\n
One Golkar member died recently but there was no formal
\nexplanation on the absence of the other 76 Assembly members.<\/p>\n
The Assembly is comprised of 425 members of the House of
\nRepresentatives elected in last year's general election and 575
\npresidential appointees.<\/p>\n
Of the House members, 325 belong to the government's Golkar,
\n11 to PDI and 89 to PPP.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's presidential election opened with Assembly
\nSecretary-General Afif Ma'roef reading the results of checks on
\nSoeharto's credentials and his interviews with faction leaders
\nlast Sunday.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, who has been in power for 32 years, was the only
\nname on all letters of candidacy submitted by the factions.<\/p>\n
\"So Haji Muhammad Soeharto is the sole presidential
\ncandidate,\" Afif announced.<\/p>\n
Background checks by all factions found Soeharto conformed to
\nfundamental requirements of the presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
He possesses an ID card signed by Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso,
\nletter of good conduct from National police chief Gen. Dibyo
\nWidodo, letter confirming noninvolvement in the banned Indonesian
\nCommunist Party, also from Dibyo, letter of ideological screening
\nby the internal security agency chief from Gen. Wiranto, a letter
\nstating he is not serving a sentence or under investigation from
\nChief Justice Sarwata and a health certificate from the chief of
\npresidential medical team, Bondan Haryono.<\/p>\n
The administrative proceedings ended with Afif stating that
\nSoeharto agreed to be renominated.<\/p>\n
Applause<\/p>\n
The convention hall erupted in applause after Harmoko asked
\nrhetorically: \"Brother Soeharto is appointed Indonesia's
\npresident for the 1998\/2003 period. Do you agree?\"<\/p>\n
\"Agree...\" thundered the participants as they rose to their
\nfeet and clapped.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, the incumbent Golkar chairman and a former minister
\nof information under Soeharto, said the Assembly directly
\nlegalized Soeharto's election because he was the lone candidate.<\/p>\n
\"Because the single presidential candidate has met all the
\nrequirements... herewith the Assembly leadership appoints
\nBrother Soeharto as the president for the 1998\/2003 term,\"
\nHarmoko said, before his voice was drowned out by another
\novation.<\/p>\n
Members of the powerful military faction in the Assembly
\ncommended Soeharto's reelection.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Wiranto expressed optimism the
\nSoeharto administration would be able to solve the economic
\ncrisis that has been deteriorating since it began last July.<\/p>\n
\"We are all obliged to support what has been decided by the
\nAssembly and to do what we can to help solve the hardship facing
\nthe nation,\" Wiranto told the media.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno, who chairs the ABRI faction in the
\nHouse of Representatives, said the President would need capable
\ncabinet members to deal with the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Cabinet ministers should coordinate (among themselves) and
\nshould not compete to appear the best,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Members of the outgoing cabinet lineup have been widely
\ncriticized for lack of coordination. Several were notorious for
\nmaking conflicting statements on the same issue. (team)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-reelected-for-7th-term-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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