DPR sets 1999 election date
DPR sets 1999 election date
JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR)
Harmoko announced on Thursday that the general election will be
held on June 7 and that the newly elected People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) will convene on Aug. 29.
But Harmoko did not specify when the MPR would elect the new
president, saying that the main agenda on Aug. 29 would be the
swearing in of the new MPR members and the establishment of the
MPR working committee.
The announcement, made in the foyer of the DPR building, came
after a meeting with President B.J. Habibie. The President, who
was present during the announcement to the media, refused to take
questions.
The two leaders also agreed to accelerate the investigation
into the massive fortune that former president Soeharto and his
family allegedly amassed during his 32-year rule.
However, Habibie abandoned the idea of establishing an
independent commission to carry out an investigation of Soeharto
after many respected public figures declined offers to join the
commission.
These figures, who would have lent credibility to the team,
refused after learning that the team would have little
investigative power and would be limited to making
recommendations on courses of action for Habibie to pursue.
Minister of Justice Muladi told reporters in the DPR foyer
that growing public distrust over the plan had influenced
Habibie's decision to drop the idea, "at least for now".
"Considering the pros and cons, the government has first
decided to utilize the existing state institutions," Muladi said,
referring to the Attorney General's Office as the primary
institution to conduct the investigation.
Habibie has come under strong public pressure to step up the
investigation of Soeharto's wealth, one of the key demands of
recent student demonstrations in Jakarta and elsewhere.
Thursday's announcement of the election date and the agreement
to accelerate the Soeharto investigation appeared to be aimed at
placating critics of Habibie who say that he has been stalling on
both issues.
While the announcement of the election date was widely
expected, the plan to convene the MPR meeting in August instead
of December as first planned, came only after questions were
raised about the long gap between the two events, which would
have effectively made Habibie a lame duck president.
The MPR will elect a president and vice president, and endorse
the broad outlines of state policy.
The DPR and the government are currently deliberating several
bills related to next year's general election.
Regarding the investigation of Soeharto, after consulting with
the DPR, the State Secretariat released copies of the President's
instructions to Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi Muhammad Ghalib to
"immediately take proactive, effective and efficient measures to
combat corruption, collusion and nepotism".
In the decree, Habibie ordered Ghalib "to promptly take legal
steps to investigate former president Soeharto, who is suspected
of having engaged in corruption, collusion and nepotism."
The decree also reminded the Attorney General to uphold the
principle of the presumption of innocence while conducting the
investigation.
Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung later explained that
the government has discovered accounts belonging to Soeharto in
72 banks, including eight foreign banks, worth Rp 23 billion
(US$3 million).
Forbes magazine at one time put the Soeharto family's fortune
at $16 billion, but later downgraded this sum to $4 billion
following the Asian economic crisis. Other estimates put the
family's total wealth as high as $40 billion.
The Soeharto investigation was mandated by a decree issued by
the MPR in its Special Session last month.
Critics however have doubted whether Habibie, a protege of
Soeharto, has the resolution to see the investigation through.
Last weekend, Soeharto's lawyer warned that the former
president would drag down Habibie and other government officials
if the investigation reached the courts.
This was the second time since he became President in May that
Habibie has paid a visit to Harmoko for consultations.
Habibie was accompanied by his four coordinating ministers and
other key Cabinet members. Harmoko was accompanied by his four
deputies. (prb/emb)
JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR)
Harmoko announced on Thursday that the general election will be
held on June 7 and that the newly elected People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) will convene on Aug. 29.
But Harmoko did not specify when the MPR would elect the new
president, saying that the main agenda on Aug. 29 would be the
swearing in of the new MPR members and the establishment of the
MPR working committee.
The announcement, made in the foyer of the DPR building, came
after a meeting with President B.J. Habibie. The President, who
was present during the announcement to the media, refused to take
questions.
The two leaders also agreed to accelerate the investigation
into the massive fortune that former president Soeharto and his
family allegedly amassed during his 32-year rule.
However, Habibie abandoned the idea of establishing an
independent commission to carry out an investigation of Soeharto
after many respected public figures declined offers to join the
commission.
These figures, who would have lent credibility to the team,
refused after learning that the team would have little
investigative power and would be limited to making
recommendations on courses of action for Habibie to pursue.
Minister of Justice Muladi told reporters in the DPR foyer
that growing public distrust over the plan had influenced
Habibie's decision to drop the idea, "at least for now".
"Considering the pros and cons, the government has first
decided to utilize the existing state institutions," Muladi said,
referring to the Attorney General's Office as the primary
institution to conduct the investigation.
Habibie has come under strong public pressure to step up the
investigation of Soeharto's wealth, one of the key demands of
recent student demonstrations in Jakarta and elsewhere.
Thursday's announcement of the election date and the agreement
to accelerate the Soeharto investigation appeared to be aimed at
placating critics of Habibie who say that he has been stalling on
both issues.
While the announcement of the election date was widely
expected, the plan to convene the MPR meeting in August instead
of December as first planned, came only after questions were
raised about the long gap between the two events, which would
have effectively made Habibie a lame duck president.
The MPR will elect a president and vice president, and endorse
the broad outlines of state policy.
The DPR and the government are currently deliberating several
bills related to next year's general election.
Regarding the investigation of Soeharto, after consulting with
the DPR, the State Secretariat released copies of the President's
instructions to Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi Muhammad Ghalib to
"immediately take proactive, effective and efficient measures to
combat corruption, collusion and nepotism".
In the decree, Habibie ordered Ghalib "to promptly take legal
steps to investigate former president Soeharto, who is suspected
of having engaged in corruption, collusion and nepotism."
The decree also reminded the Attorney General to uphold the
principle of the presumption of innocence while conducting the
investigation.
Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung later explained that
the government has discovered accounts belonging to Soeharto in
72 banks, including eight foreign banks, worth Rp 23 billion
(US$3 million).
Forbes magazine at one time put the Soeharto family's fortune
at $16 billion, but later downgraded this sum to $4 billion
following the Asian economic crisis. Other estimates put the
family's total wealth as high as $40 billion.
The Soeharto investigation was mandated by a decree issued by
the MPR in its Special Session last month.
Critics however have doubted whether Habibie, a protege of
Soeharto, has the resolution to see the investigation through.
Last weekend, Soeharto's lawyer warned that the former
president would drag down Habibie and other government officials
if the investigation reached the courts.
This was the second time since he became President in May that
Habibie has paid a visit to Harmoko for consultations.
Habibie was accompanied by his four coordinating ministers and
other key Cabinet members. Harmoko was accompanied by his four
deputies. (prb/emb)