Tutut may get 'more important' position than VP, says scholar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar leader Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana might have
\nrefused some people's motion to nominate her for the vice
\npresidency, but it is likely she will gain a politically more
\nimportant position, a scholar says.<\/p>\n
Senior researcher Muhammad A.S. Hikam of the National
\nInstitute of Sciences said here Saturday that in local politics,
\nthe vice presidency has so far been an insignificant political
\nposition.<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti could instead be included in an alternative
\nscenario, where she would have a more decisive role such as the
\nchairmanship of the dominant Golkar, Hikam said.<\/p>\n
The post would enable Hardiyanti, the eldest daughter of
\nPresident Soeharto, to have a greater bargaining position before
\ncertain political institutions such as the People's Consultative
\nAssembly and the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
\"Given that position, she would then in political reality be
\nable to control the political machine named Golkar,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hikam was speaking in a discussion on women and state
\nleadership which also examined Hardiyanti's and ousted Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri's chances at
\nthe vice presidency.<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti, better known as Mbak Tutut, recently declared she
\ndid not have the capacity to become a vice president.<\/p>\n
Hikam said that Hardiyanti has great political access, one
\nwhich gives her as great a chance as the other \"top five\"
\ncandidates which includes incumbent Try Sutrisno, State Minister
\nof Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, Minister of Information
\nR. Hartono, State Minister of Development Planning Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto.<\/p>\n
\"There's only one political liability of hers, though, the
\nfact that she is the daughter of the President,\" he said. \"What
\nwould people say (if she became vice president)?\"<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti also said over the weekend that it would be \"funny\"
\nif her father was reelected President for another term, while she
\nbecame the vice president.<\/p>\n
Hikam named Megawati as the other female figure who had a
\nchance of being nominated for the presidency. Although the chance
\nwas slight, he said it could become reality if there was
\npreceding political reform which originated from the pressures of
\nthe economic crisis.<\/p>\n
\"If the crisis worsens and becomes even more intense, than it
\nis possible that the interests of some of the elite could
\nconsolidate, and they'd consider her an alternative,\" Hikam said.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati's chance (at present) to become a vice presidential
\ncandidate, much less a presidential candidate, is very slim
\nunless there was a systematic crisis which caused the
\ndisintegration of the political elite, and at the same time there
\nwas pressure from the lower levels,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The discussion also featured Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman
\nof Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).<\/p>\n
He said that Islam does not prohibit women from becoming state
\nleaders.<\/p>\n
\"If (either Hardiyanti or Megawati should be the next vice
\npresident), it's not against Islamic teaching,\" he said. (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tutut-may-get-more-important-position-than-vp-says-scholar-1447893297",
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