Golkar in all-out battle for Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): The ruling Golkar went full steam ahead yesterday in its campaign to reelect President Soeharto, trying to persuade other factions in the People's Consultative Assembly to heed "convention" and follow suit.

The equally powerful Armed Forces (ABRI) faction hinted at its support for the motion to have Soeharto lead the nation for another term from 1998 to 2003.

The question of presidential candidates was one of several major topics discussed yesterday in the plenary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) working committee. This committee will be in charge of electing next March a new president and vice president, and will adopt the new State Policy Guidelines.

Two other prominent issues discussed in the lively exchanges were whether it was necessary to establish a powerful MPR decree on human rights promotion, and whether the next president should be given the extraordinary power to take special measures in the face of insurgency.

Both Golkar and ABRI were against the special rights charter, and for the granting of extra power to the next president.

The minority United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) took the opposite sides, braving the current and going ahead with their call for an unprecedented Assembly deliberation on the human rights charter.

PPP and PDI did not state their positions on the motion for awarding extra presidential power.

Golkar spokeswoman Tutty Alawiyah told the session that Soeharto's renomination was not only greatly desired, but also evidence of respect for the tradition of reaching decisions by following conventions.

"The 1945 Constitution allows voting to choose a president and vice president, but we have never done that because we traditionally have had only one (presidential) candidate for more than 50 years ... We should not underestimate this constitutional practice," Tutty said.

Golkar said the 76-year-old Soeharto, in power since 1968, had proven his capability and carried out his jobs with flying colors.

"We base our decision on objective and reasonable grounds, far from any intention of making him into a cult figure," Tutty said.

Soeharto told Golkar last Sunday to use the next five months until the presidential election to reconsider its support for him, saying that he wanted to be sure that the people were not forced into reelecting him.

He also called on Indonesia not to turn him into a cult figure.

Gen. Wiranto, ABRI spokesman for MPR faction, said his faction was looking for "a figure who has passed the tests of leading a big nation with its complicated matters".

Wiranto said Indonesia needed a strong leader who could deal with the tougher challenges such as the growing population, rising public demands, international economic and political rivalry and technological lag.

Members of the Armed Forces affiliate with Golkar.

Golkar also offered yesterday its draft of state policy guidelines which defined human rights as one of the development objectives.

"Human rights principles should apply to every government policy and regulation and to public daily life," said another Golkar spokesman, Gunawan Sumodiningrat.

Golkar said the constitution already recognized the principles of human rights protection, so there was no need to establish a special decree on the issue.

A special MPR decree to establish a human rights charter was first proposed by the National Defense and Security Council (Wanhankamnas), a think tank of various experts chaired by President Soeharto.

The Armed Forces shared Golkar's view, saying that Indonesia has applied many laws that recognized human rights principles.

"We appreciate Wanhankamnas for its hard work, but its proposal is merely a proposal," Wiranto said. (amd)