Golkar steadfast in nomination of Soeharto

Golkar steadfast in nomination of Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko said yesterday the
dominant political group would not have any second thoughts about
nominating President Soeharto to his seventh consecutive term.

Harmoko, who is also chairman of the House of Representatives
(DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in charge of
electing a president and vice president next March, said Golkar
is committed to nominating the incumbent in the election.

"Golkar will stick to the decision of its leadership meeting
last October that Haji Muhammad Soeharto is our only candidate
for the 1998/2003 presidency," Harmoko told reporters at his
office yesterday.

He was commenting on a statement by Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana,
President Soeharto's eldest daughter and a Golkar leader, that
she would prefer if her father were not reelected so he could
spend more time with his family.

Addressing thousands of students of the Semarang-based
Diponegoro University Saturday, Hardiyanti (better known as Mbak
Tutut), toned down her remarks minutes later by saying that in
the end it would be up to the people, represented by the
Assembly, to decide whether or not they wished to renominate
Soeharto.

Golkar officially decided to nominate Soeharto for the
presidency during its leadership meeting here in October.
Soeharto, however, told party executives to check again with
Golkar cadres and supporters, saying they still had several
months to change their mind.

Soeharto also said he was ready to play the pundit role if he
did not get reelected. His statement sparked debate for weeks as
people sought to understand the meaning behind it. But, according
to some analysts, Soeharto will still accept his renomination.

Harmoko said no opinions expressed now could change the stance
of Golkar leaders.

"Mbak Tutut's statement will not change Golkar's decision," he
said, adding that she was speaking as a daughter at the time. "As
a member of a family, it was just normal for her to express
concern about her father."

"If she talks as a Golkar deputy chairperson, I believe she
will share the same opinion (with Golkar)," he said. "The
renomination was an organizational decision, not a personal one."

He dismissed the idea that a special leadership meeting be
held to discuss Hardiyanti's remarks.

"The (decision) of Golkar in its October leadership meeting
was binding (for all members)," he said. "Golkar has reconfirmed
its decision with its members and supporters."

Deputy House Speaker of the Armed Forces faction, Syarwan
Hamid, supported Harmoko's stance.

"It's natural for a daughter... to wish to have her father's
time, especially because the President has been (busy) with state
protocol for more than 30 years," Syarwan told the press.

But Hardiyanti's statement should not be considered final, he
added.

"There should be interests that are greater than just a family
concern (which is why) we have to renominate President Soeharto,"
he said.

Meeting

Political analyst Johanes Kristiadi suggested that Hardiyanti
raise her idea of not renominating Soeharto at a formal Golkar
meeting so the dominant political group could reconsider its
renomination.

"Mbak Tutut was only expressing her feeling as a daughter
whose relationship with her father has been eclipsed by state
protocol for 30 years. This is very humane," said Kristiadi of
the Centre for International and Strategic Studies.

Golkar would not necessarily lose face if it accepted
Hardiyanti's remarks because it could coincide with the public's
opinion.

He said Hardiyanti's statement could serve as an effective way
to introduce state leadership succession for the first time in
the last three decades. Without her suggestion, it looked
unlikely that the MPR would have the courage to pick alternative
candidates, he said.

Adi Sasono of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI) agreed, saying that the Assembly should
listen to Hardiyanti's statement before electing a president in
its general session next March.

"It's sort of her (Hardiyanti's), and perhaps the public's,
expression of anxiety. Everybody is allowed to have this
feeling," he said. (imn/amd)