Cooperatives federation supports Soeharto re-election
Cooperatives federation supports Soeharto re-election
JAKARTA (JP): The Federation of Employee Cooperatives
(Inkopar) came out yesterday in support of re-electing President
Soeharto in 1998.
The federation voted to offer their support, announced by
chairman Agus Soedono, at the organization's just concluded
national congress.
"Federation which operates as one big family gives its full
support for President Soeharto's re-election," Soedono told
journalists after meeting with the head of state.
The new president will be elected by the People's Consultative
Assembly in March 1998. So far, Soeharto -- who has been re-
elected six times -- has no serious rival.
Sri Bintang Pamungkas, head of the unrecognized Indonesian
Democratic Union Party, recently announced he would challenge
President Soeharto in the 1998 presidential election.
On Sunday, the ruling party Golkar, issued a set of criteria
for the future president. Observers say the criteria fit
President Soeharto, who heads Golkar's powerful board of patrons.
When he heard the federation's statement of support, Soeharto
replied it was up to the People's Consultative Assembly to elect
the new president, said Soedono.
Soeharto said the assembly would choose a president capable of
implementing state policies, said Soedono.
"Indonesian people should not worry about the presidential
election because the standard election procedures already exist,"
Soeharto was quoted as saying.
The President warned members of the People's Consultative
Assembly to elect the new president by musyawarah, or with
deliberation and consensus, rather than by voting.
The federation will launch an information campaign aimed at
promoting cooperatives in small and medium-scale companies.
Cooperatives and small-scale traders' exports are valued at
US$2.3 billion, or 7.2 percent of Indonesia's total non-oil
exports.
Cooperatives have proven effective in maintaining harmony in
the worker-employer relations.
"Welfare programs can reduce industrial action," he said.
About 95 percent of labor strikes in Indonesia has been against
companies with no cooperative. (ste)