Golkar in all-out battle for Soeharto

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)