Calls for open VP nomination debate gain momentum
JAKARTA (JP): Observers and public figures alike have welcomed the growing calls for an open vice-presidential nomination debate, describing it as part of the public's political education.
State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Muladi, a political observer at the Semarang-based Diponegoro University, both said the public should actively participate in the nomination process.
Habibie said such participation would be a positive sign that the people's political awareness was growing. "It would show that Indonesians are politically mature," he said yesterday.
Muladi said that discussions on presidential and vice presidential candidates should not be the monopoly of certain groups.
"Every Indonesian is free to talk about and propose names of suitable of vice-presidential candidates. It's not a matter of whether it is an ethical or unethical discussion and it's not a question of it being a taboo or lawful subject, either," he told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
However, "only the (new) People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has the authority to officially nominate and elect the new vice president," he said.
Habibie called on everybody to stick to the regulations concerning the presidential and vice-presidential elections.
The new 1,000-strong MPR will be sworn in in October. Its members will meet in March next year to elect the president and vice president and establish the five-yearly state guidelines.
Responding to reporters' questions, Habibie said he would "think about it" if he was nominated for the vice presidency by the MPR.
As for whether he had the capacity to undertake the role, Habibie replied that he was not the only person considered suited for it.
Muladi, who is the Diponegoro University rector, said it would not matter whether a candidate was a civilian or had a military background, as long as he/she was accepted by the nation and able to cooperate with the elected president.
Muladi mentioned several names he considered suitable; the incumbent Try Sutrisno, Minister of Information Harmoko, State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hartono.
"I am sure that one of them will be elected the new vice president," Muladi said.
Another political observer at Diponegoro University, Susilo Utomo, said the new People's Consultative Assembly should be careful in electing the new vice president.
"The next vice president must be able to unite all elements in society as President Soeharto has. The country is facing threats of disintegration," he said.
Amien Rais of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University said people should not bother discussing who might become the next vice-president.
"It's a very simple problem. Only the elected president knows (who's suitable)," he told the Post yesterday.
Amien, a Moslem scholar, said he was sure Soeharto would be re-elected president for a sixth consecutive term.
A number of other people have predicted Soeharto's re- election. They include former Golkar chairman Amir Murtono, former chief of the now-defunct State Internal Security Agency Gen. (ret.) Soemitro, and Marzuki Darusman, a former Golkar legislator.
In a separate development, the Central Java chapter of the United Development Party (PPP) said yesterday that it would study the proposed self-nomination of PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum for the vice-presidency.
"We need to study the proposal first because the PPP central board has not taken the nomination issue to a formal party forum yet," Antara quoted chapter chairman Djuhad Mahja as saying yesterday. (imn/har)