Analysts say strip Soeharto's 'powers'

JAKARTA (JP): Political observers have recommended the prompt removal of any political and economic powers that former president Soeharto might still have, including in the ruling Golkar political organization, to prevent him from making a political comeback.

One way of ensuring this is to give all key political positions to people who are truly committed to reforms, Marzuki Darusman, the deputy chairman of the National Commission of Human Rights, said Saturday.

Political scientist Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia, also speaking at the weekend, called for the convening of the People's Consultative Assembly to formally remove Soeharto from the presidency and ensure he would never return to politics.

He also believed several members of President B.J. Habibie's government were remnants of the Soeharto regime and should also be removed forthwith.

Talk has been rife this past week about the possibility that the nation's former strongman, who resigned from the presidency on May 21 under strong public pressure, was maneuvering to stage a comeback.

The Armed Forces (ABRI) subsequently warned the nation would not allow the return of "old political forces".

ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said Friday their reappearance would represent a setback for the country.

But speculation intensified after it became apparent that two of Soeharto's children -- Siti Hardijanti Rukmana and Bambang Trihatmodjo -- were taking an active role in preparations for next month's congress of Golkar to elect its new leaders.

Soeharto is technically still the chief patron of Golkar, the political organization which controls the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly. His position endows him with overriding power over other Golkar components, including the central executive board.

Key positions

Marzuki, who formerly served as a Golkar legislator, argued that proreform figures should assume all the key positions in the organization's congress.

He said the congress should also restructure its organization and reduce the power of the chief patron to that of an advisor without vetoing power.

Marzuki said it was understandable that people feared the return of the "old political forces" aligned with Soeharto as the latter accumulated "enormous" resources during his 32 years in office.

"There is fear that Soeharto's resources will be inherited by certain parties."

Marzuki said the fear also stemmed from the nation's experience with first president Sukarno, whose ranks of supporters grew when the government tried to disgrace him.

Marzuki said Susilo's comment was a mild warning to Soeharto but served more to detach ABRI from its past links with him and his administration.

"They (ABRI) realize that they need to win people's respect in this era of reform. So it's natural that they want to distance themselves from the past."

Arbi said Habibie's Cabinet was packed with figures from the Soeharto era, contradicting its purported "reform" stance.

"These people must be removed, and Habibie's government must be based on an entirely new political force."

He recounted that in the aftermath of Sukarno's downfall in 1966, Soeharto systematically excluded officials who were closely identified with his predecessor.

"There must be a political restructuring, otherwise the old forces could easily stage a comeback."

ABRI should side with the people, Arbi said, because it had only served the interests of the government under Soeharto.

"ABRI should surrender its sociopolitical role. Otherwise, it still represents the interest of the old political force."

Arbi said the People's Consultative Assembly must convene to formally revoke the mandate it gave Soeharto in March to give credence to Habibie.

"If the extraordinary session of the Assembly does not revoke the mandate of Soeharto, the debate on Habibie's legitimacy will never end." (byg)