Tutut 'opposes' her father's reelection<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): President Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti
\nHardiyanti Rukmana, said yesterday she would prefer if her father
\nwere not reelected so he could spend more time with his family.<\/p>\n
\"I am speaking honestly here, and only Allah knows,\" Mbak
\nTutut, as she is popularly known, said addressing thousands of
\nstudents at Semarang's Diponegoro University. \"If you ask me...
\nmy answer is: I personally don't want him to be president again
\nbecause he never had time for his family.\"<\/p>\n
\"For years now, he has had only a little time for us,\" said
\nHardiyanti.<\/p>\n
\"Let me say the truth and use my right (as a daughter), rather
\nthan observing my duties. I beg you (the nation) not to (reelect
\nhim).<\/p>\n
\"But then it's not me who would be reelecting him, but the
\npeople of Indonesia,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti is a leader of the ruling Golkar group which has
\nofficially declared its intention to renominate Soeharto to his
\nseventh consecutive term next March. She is also a member of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which will convene next
\nMarch to elect a president and vice president and endorse the
\n1998\/2003 State Policy Guidelines.<\/p>\n
Responding to a student's query about Soeharto's health, she
\nsaid: \"He's healthy now. Please God, may he be able to finish the
\nduties that the people have mandated to him until next March. May
\nhe be given the strength to carry on.\"<\/p>\n
\"As for the future, we leave everything to the people and God,
\nthis is not yet the time to talk about the next president,\" she
\nsaid. \"The MPR assembly hasn't even begun. Let's wait and see.\"<\/p>\n
\"The highest power is in the hands of the MPR,\" she said. \"If
\nhe is deemed incompetent, don't reelect him. Don't choose a
\npresident out of deference, but see if he is capable.\"<\/p>\n
Regarding some people's intention to name her a vice
\npresidential candidate, Hardiyanti demurred. \"I have limited
\ncapability,\" she said. \"But if this is the command of the people,
\nthen whoever and wherever a person is, he or she must do it.\"<\/p>\n
\"But... if the father is the president, wouldn't it be funny
\nif the daughter became the vice president?\" she said. \"Would it
\nbe appropriate for the child of a president to become the vice
\npresident?\" (har\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tutut-opposes-her-fathers-reelection-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}