Soesilo says riots possible before March assembly<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A senior cabinet minister warned yesterday of
\npossible attempts to disrupt the presidential election next
\nMarch.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
\nSoesilo Soedarman said the Armed Forces should prepare for
\npossible riots during the election.<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly will convene its General
\nAssembly next March to deliberate state guidelines and elect a
\nnew president and vice president.<\/p>\n
\"There is a possibility that certain groups want to disrupt
\nthe assembly,\" Soesilo said after meeting President Soeharto at
\nMerdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
He said there was good potential for riots because some groups
\nwho wanted to topple the government would try to foil the
\nassembly for their own interests.<\/p>\n
\"We must stay alert for such a possibility,\" Soesilo said.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said the Armed Forces should exploit regency alert
\ncenters to detect any antigovernment activity that could lead to
\nunrest.<\/p>\n
Soeharto ordered the centers' establishment in January to
\nmonitor conditions and rumors that could incite unrest and report
\nthem to relevant authorities.<\/p>\n
The centers have been set up at district military commands.
\nThey have been deemed necessary to prevent riots and handle local
\nproblems which have been in rampant in the last two years.<\/p>\n
\"The success of antigovernment movements depends on their
\nability to mobilize people,\" Soesilo said.<\/p>\n
Golkar won 325 seats of the 425 seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives in the May general election. The United
\nDevelopment Party won 89 seats and the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty won 11 seats. Seventy-five seats were awarded to the Armed
\nForces because its personnel do not vote.<\/p>\n
House members automatically become members of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
The 1000-strong assembly comprises the 500 House members and
\n500 representatives of regions, professions and mass
\norganizations.<\/p>\n
The assembly convenes every five years to deliberate the
\nguidelines of state policies and elect a president and vice
\npresident.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, 76, is widely expected to be reelected for a sixth
\nfive-year term although he has not said whether he would stand
\nagain.<\/p>\n
Less certain is the vice presidency, a key role as Soeharto's
\nmost likely successor.<\/p>\n
The names of several possible vice presidential candidates
\nhave appeared in newspapers, including the incumbent Vice
\nPresident Try Sutrisno, State Minister of National Development
\nPlanning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Information Hartono
\nand State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said, \"Some groups will continue to try to foil the
\nassembly.\"<\/p>\n
When reporters asked him to name the groups, Soesilo said:
\n\"They belong to groups who are against our national commitment.\"<\/p>\n
When reporters kept asking him to name the groups, he
\nanswered: \"I do not need to tell you their names, just write in
\nyour newspapers that I said the potential was there.\" (06)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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