Comments on succession draw sharp reactions
Comments on succession draw sharp reactions
JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Advisory Council's chairman, Sudomo, has drawn fire for claiming that President Soeharto wants the future president and vice president to be civilians.
Harmoko, chief of the ruling political party Golkar, said yesterday that debating the issue surrounding the presidential succession was "unethical" at present.
"Determining the future president and vice president is the prerogative right of the People's Consultative Assembly," Harmoko told journalists, after attending a ministerial meeting.
Sudomo, a long-time protegee of President Soeharto, well-known for his controversial ideas, said after meeting with ABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung Monday that he knew Soeharto has long wished to have a civilian as his deputy.
Of the five vice presidents who have served Soeharto over the past 28 years, only the first two, Adam Malik and Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, were civilians. The other three, Umar Wirahadikusumah, Sudharmono and Try Sutrisno are military men.
Sudomo also said that the next president should be a former cabinet minister, socio-political organization leader or one from the "university circle".
Harmoko, whose other position is information minister, said the 1945 Constitution does not make any mention about whether the vice presidential post should go to a civilian or a military man.
"Golkar will not discuss the presidential succession issue until 1998," he said, referring to the next presidential election.
Harmoko, along with the State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, and Golkar deputy chief Mrs. Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, is among the civilian figures believed to have a chance of holding the vice presidential stint.
On the same occasion, Minister/Cabinet Secretary Moerdiono dismissed it as "undemocratic" debates on the military-civilian dichotomy, as far as national leadership is concerned.
"The debates could influence the assembly's independence in choosing the future president and vice president," Moerdiono said.
Both Harmoko and Moerdiono insisted that the presidential succession was not even touched on during this week's Sudomo- Feisal bimonthly meeting.
Habibie, who chairs the powerful Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals, said he was convinced that Sudomo was not tricked by any group into making the controversial remarks.
"The comment reflects "dynamism" in the way people deal with current political issues," he said.
A senior legislator from the ABRI faction, Soeparman, said Tuesday that Sudomo took the risk of offending some people when he made the civilian-military dichotomy.
"Frankly, there are people who felt uneasy on hearing the statement," he said, reported the Antara news agency.
Soeparman, who chairs House Commission II overseeing domestic affairs, also stressed that the presidential election is the prerogative right of the assembly.
He pointed out that, at present, debates on the succession issue were premature and would only trigger an arduous, unproductive polemic.
"If it's true that Pak Domo (Sudomo) made such a statement, you should ask for the reason. But the principle is that we must agree that electing a president and vice president is the assembly's right," he said.
A more moderate comment came from ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung yesterday. He said it was irrelevant to discuss whether the next president and vice president should be civilian or military men.
"What counts is whether they are elected constitutionally," he told journalists. He added that the succession issue was not on the agenda of his meeting with Sudomo on Monday.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation said in a press statement yesterday that it was unfair to criticize Sudomo for his view on the presidential election.
"Rather, his statement should be seen as a fresh idea, put forward in a time when discussion on the presidential institution is almost taboo," it said.
Also on Tuesday, legislator Ali Mursalam, from the Golkar faction, said that Indonesians should leave the presidential election up to the assembly, that will convene in 1998.
He said it was difficult to say whether Sudomo's move to announce President Soeharto's preference was ethical or not ethical because Sudomo "is not a child".
"Everyone knows it is Pak Domo who issued the statement and everyone knows who he is," he said. (pan)