Golkar gears up for MPR meeting

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar intensified yesterday preparations for the opening of the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) tomorrow, marshalling members to attend briefings and signed nomination forms for the ruling faction's candidacy of Soeharto and B.J. Habibie as the next president and vice president respectively.

The chairman of Golkar's Assembly faction, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, said yesterday that most Golkar legislators had signed the forms of support. He failed to unveil the exact figure, but Golkar has 588 of the 1,000 seats in the Assembly thanks to its landslide win in last year's general election.

The faction has been collecting the signatures in stages. The first round was on Tuesday, the second was yesterday while those who have not signed are expected to do so today.

Ginandjar said the arrangement was made for the sake of efficiency because of the size of his squad for the quinquennial session.

"Don't make an issue out of it (the signing). It's a practical matter. Other factions also do it," Ginandjar said after presiding over a Golkar coordinative meeting at the Assembly building.

He said the practice was part of Golkar's internal mechanism for the presidential and vice presidential nomination. The signatures will be attached to a letter stating Golkar's choices that will be presented to the Assembly leaders.

All of the five factions in the Assembly have announced incumbent Soeharto and B.J. Habibie as their sole candidates for the presidency and vice presidency.

They will formally nominate their presidential candidates on March 8, and their vice presidential choices on March 11 in the 11-day gathering.

Golkar legislators gathered yesterday at a hall in the Pertamina state oil company office on Jl. Perwira, Central Jakarta for a briefing from their executives and the signing.

The regional representatives faction, one of Golkar's traditional allies, completed its signing Thursday night, while the other three factions are expected to finish theirs by March 8.

Ginandjar failed to confirm yesterday whether the practice was mandatory for all Golkar legislators.

"Members of the Golkar faction should be willing to nominate (Soeharto and Habibie). If they do not want to sign, why would they join Golkar?" Ginandjar said.

He refused to disclose the punishment that awaits Golkar legislators who fail to put their signatures to the nomination form. "I haven't seen anyone refusing to sign," he said.

A colleague of Ginandjar, Abdul Gafur, threatened earlier this week to dismiss dissenting members.

Speaker of the Assembly Harmoko installed yesterday three new regional representatives in the highest legislative body.

Maj. Gen. Muchlis Ibrahim of West Sumatra, Oemarsono of Lampung and Mohammad Saleh Latuconsina of Maluku were named to replace Zuraida Hasan Basri Durin, Brig. Gen. Bibit Waluyo and Akib Latuconsina respectively.

In his speech, Harmoko called on all legislators not to turn a blind eye to people's escalating demands prompted by successful development programs.

"The demands need correct responses and handling, so that they won't harm the ongoing development programs. It's necessary for us to understand the aspirations of people who have become more educated," Harmoko said.

Separately, self-proclaimed vice presidential candidate Emil Salim called on all Assembly factions to heed people's concerns over the soaring prices of foodstuffs and other basic commodities.

Speaking at a media conference here, Emil said the factions should "open doors" for the people. He said the people's aspirations were not "simple matters that could just be handled by the police".

"These are the concerns of almost every layer of society, including mothers, students, civil servants, military and police officers who have felt the pinch of the crisis," he said.

"It's time for factions in the Assembly to show the people that they belong to them, not to any political organization or grouping. Take those concerns into the General Session," he said.

In Yogyakarta, local United Development Party (PPP) leaders slammed party Secretary-General Tosari Wijaya who has threatened to dismiss party legislators who dare to dissent during the General Session.

"Assembly legislators are representatives of the people not those of a political party or a group. There is no rule that forbids a legislator from interrupting the session or channeling people's aspirations," said Herman Abdurrahman, the chief of the PPP chapter in Sleman, Yogyakarta. (23/aan/amd)