Soeharto won't name VP choice<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto insisted yesterday he would
\nnot announce his preferred running mate for another term in
\noffice before factions in the People's Consultative Assembly
\nunveiled their vice presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
The head of the Pancasila state ideology proselytizing body,
\nAlwi Dahlan, said after meeting with the President at the
\nlatter's residence on Jl. Cendana that it was each sociopolitical
\norganization's right to name candidates for the second top post,
\nand not the President's.<\/p>\n
\"Why should they wait for me? This shows that many people
\ndon't understand the Constitution. They expect me to name a vice
\npresidential candidate.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot name anyone because I'm not even a presidential
\ncandidate. I will be named a candidate only after certain
\nprocedures are carried out,\" Soeharto was quoted by Alwi as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was responding to debate as to whether he should
\nannounce his desired second in command as soon as possible to
\nhelp ease the country's economic woes.<\/p>\n
The 1,000-member Assembly will convene from March 1 to March
\n11 to endorse the state policy guidelines and elect the next
\npresident and vice president.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said he would be reelected if he was nominated and
\ndeemed capable of executing the policy guidelines, Alwi said.<\/p>\n
A 1973 Assembly decree, which remains effective, says that a
\nvice presidential candidate must be able to cooperate with the
\nelected president. By convention, each faction in the Assembly
\nconsults with the elected president prior to the vice
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
Alwi said Soeharto would name who he favors for the vice
\npresidency after representatives of each faction consult him on
\nthe subject, assuming he is elected president.<\/p>\n
The dominant political group Golkar, the Armed Forces, the
\nbureaucracy and the United Development Party have all pledged to
\nsupport Soeharto's renomination for another five-year term.<\/p>\n
However they are keeping their vice presidential candidates a
\nsecret, saying that they will reveal the names during the
\nAssembly's general session.<\/p>\n
Golkar has also listed a set of criteria its vice presidential
\ncandidate must meet, but Alwi quoted Soeharto as saying yesterday
\nthat Golkar did not do that for his benefit.<\/p>\n
\"The requirements come purely from Golkar, and it's every
\norganization's right to set criteria,\" Alwi said.<\/p>\n
Strategy<\/p>\n
Alwi speculated that the political organizations refused to
\nannounce their nominees for the vice presidency for strategic
\nreasons while they were still deliberating possible candidates.<\/p>\n
\"A political organization may need to lobby (party executives)
\nif it has three different candidates, or perhaps it feels it
\nneeds to gain mass support and introduce its candidate to the
\npublic in a bid to make its rival organizations follow suit.
\nThat's politics,\" Alwi said.<\/p>\n
He said such processes would enable each political
\norganization to have only one vice presidential candidate,<\/p>\n
\"There is no guarantee that a political organization that
\nmakes an early announcement on a vice presidential candidate will
\npresent the same nominee to the elected president,\" Alwi said.<\/p>\n
He said the public and societal groups were allowed to name
\ntheir own vice presidential candidates, but they must channel
\ntheir aspirations through the Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"A person will qualify for the vice presidential race as long
\nas he or she is nominated by a faction in the Assembly,\" Alwi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The Assembly has so far accepted the nomination of, among
\nothers, Vice President Try Sutrisno, Minister of Research and
\nTechnology B.J. Habibie, State Minister of National Development
\nPlanning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Information R.
\nHartono, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto and House of
\nRepresentatives Speaker Harmoko.<\/p>\n
Separately, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Lt. Gen. Syarwan
\nHamid suggested that the Armed Forces should unveil its vice
\npresidential candidate when it holds a leadership meeting from
\nFeb. 10 to Feb. 12.<\/p>\n
\"At least the revelation will give people some certainty on
\nwho will accompany President Soeharto. It will help the
\ngovernment restore public confidence in the wake of the economic
\nturmoil,\" he said. (prb\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-wont-name-vp-choice-1447893297",
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