Golkar opposes limiting terms of presidency
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chief Harmoko said yesterday his party opposed limiting the number of terms that a person could serve as president.
"The post of president should not be limited and Golkar rejects any suggestion of it," he told 100,000 supporters at a rally in Palembang, South Sumatra.
The crowd reacted enthusiastically by screaming, "Long live Golkar, long live the President, long live the President," after his every word.
Harmoko, also the minister of information, said there was no reason for debate because presidential terms and re-election were clearly set out in the 1945 Constitution.
"As long as the president is re-elected by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) then it's all perfectly legal and does not violate the Constitution," he said.
Harmoko was accompanied by President Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra, tycoon Pontjo Sutowo and dangdut singer Rhoma Irama, who recently switched his allegiance from the United Development Party (PPP) to Golkar, earning the wrath of many fans.
Harmoko said that limiting the terms of the presidency would limit the rights and will of the people.
"We should respect the MPR, we should respect the people," he said, working the crowd into a fervor.
Soeharto has been president since 1967. He is set to enter his seventh five-year term next year with no formal opposition in sight.
Harmoko said presidents should be replaced if they violate the constitution or Broad Guidelines of State Policies. But the public should be grateful for having a leader who had remained faithful to his mandate and successfully completed his development tasks.
Promises
While plugging Golkar's development success, Harmoko said that not everything was rosy.
"Golkar doesn't turn a blind eye to the fact that, despite the successful development during the New Order, there are some shortcomings and weaknesses which must be addressed."
He said his party had initiated this election's "dialog campaign" to address and present its plans to the public.
"Golkar isn't going to launch a cheap campaign aimed at firing up people's emotions and hatred," he said.
Meanwhile, on Batam Island, Golkar Riau branch chief Rivaie Rachman told a rally of factory workers that his party had improved welfare in the province by setting up the Least Developed Villages assistance scheme.
When questioned on persisting economic disparity, Rivaie said people were poor because they were unmotivated.
"The reason is that people don't try to change themselves," he said. Development was continuing so the poor were the ones who failed to exploit their opportunities.
In Jambi, Golkar campaigner Marzuki Usman said his party planned to see that all children by 2020 would have an opportunity to attend school for 12 years. He was speaking to several thousand young first-time voters, Antara reported.
In Bandar Lampung, campaigner Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana praised thousands of young supporters for not fighting supporters of the other parties during the campaign.
"I'm proud of you because you love peace, so there are never any political clashes." She was accompanied by actors, Rano Karno, Mandra and Suti Karno, and singers, Chintami Atmanagara and Dorce Gamalama. (mds)