Soeharto's renomination challenged<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The growing support for President Soeharto to
\nstay in power beyond 1998 was publicly challenged yesterday by
\nactivists of the Center of Information and Action Network for
\nReformation (Pijar).<\/p>\n
About a dozen activists voiced their opposition to the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction in the House of
\nRepresentatives, where they found a sympathetic response from
\nlegislators Aberson M. Sihaloho, Sopan Sophiaan and Royani
\nHaminullah.<\/p>\n
The activists, mostly students, demanded a law restricting
\npresidential power and limiting the number of terms a president
\nmay serve to two.<\/p>\n
"We fully support alternative candidates in the 1998
\npresidential election," Pijar said in a petition submitted to the
\nPDI legislators.<\/p>\n
The demonstration came two days after the National Youth
\nCommittee, an umbrella for dozens of youth organizations, issued
\na statement calling on President Soeharto, now 74 years old, to
\nstay at the helm after 1998.<\/p>\n
The National Youth Committee is one of more than 20
\norganizations and individual figures who have asked the incumbent
\nleader to run for the post again in 1998.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was appointed acting president in 1967 and full
\npresident the following year. He has since been reelected
\nunchallenged five times.<\/p>\n
Aberson said he personally shared Pijar activists' concerns
\nand supported their cause.<\/p>\n
He said the PDI has been subject to unjust treatment.<\/p>\n
For example, while numerous organizations freely voiced
\nsupport for President Soeharto's renomination, Minister of Home
\nAffairs Moch. Yogie S.M. criticized party activists for proposing
\nPDI chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri for president, he said.<\/p>\n
While many PDI members and supporters are urging Megawati to
\nrun in the 1998 presidential race, some of her senior members
\nadvise against it. Megawati, a daughter of former president
\nSukarno, has not stated her position.<\/p>\n
Aberson's recent outbursts criticizing the government and the
\nmilitary have not passed unnoticed by his faction leaders and
\nalso by legislators from other factions.<\/p>\n
Expulsion<\/p>\n
Faction secretary Markus Wauran said the party is considering
\nAberson's expulsion after he threatened last week to reject the
\ngovernment's budget bill.<\/p>\n
Aberson never carried out his threat and the government's
\n1996\/1997 spending plans were approved by acclamation by the
\nHouse last month.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Armed Forces faction, Suparman Achmad,
\nlast week also criticized Aberson's remarks as "dangerous" and
\ndid not necessarily reflect his party's position.<\/p>\n
The decision to expel Aberson is for the PDI faction to
\ndecide, said Suparman, while also underlining that if Aberson is
\nretained in the House he could undermine the PDI and its faction.<\/p>\n
He was particularly critical of Aberson's critical stand
\nagainst the military playing a role in politics, something which
\nthe PDI has accepted without any question. (pan)<\/p>",
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