Golkar to unveil its presidential candidates

Golkar to unveil its presidential candidates

JAKARTA (JP): The dominant political organization Golkar will
formally announce its candidates for the next presidency and vice
presidency in its leadership meeting this week, chairman Harmoko
said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters after attending a mass wedding ceremony
for 68 poor couples at the Golkar secretariat in Slipi, West
Jakarta, Harmoko said the Golkar central board had drawn up a
list of names.

Harmoko did not mention any names for the presidential
election next March, but it is unlikely that Golkar will nominate
anyone else but the incumbent President Soeharto. A number of
party executives, along with leaders of Golkar-affiliate
organizations, have over the past few years openly declared
support for Soeharto's renomination.

Last August, Moestahid Astari, then chairman of Golkar's
faction at the House of Representatives (DPR), said that Golkar
would heed the aspirations of its members and voters and name
Soeharto as its candidate. Harmoko also suggested the same name
would be announced in the upcoming leadership meeting.

The newly inducted 1,000 members of the People's Consultative
Assembly will convene next March to elect a president and vice
president and establish the State Policy Guidelines.

Earlier yesterday, Golkar's secretary-general Ary Mardjono
said the Golkar leadership meeting would begin Thursday and end
Saturday.

"The meeting will discuss Golkar's preparation for the MPR
general meeting next March, which includes discussion on its
draft for the State Policy Guidelines and other MPR decrees," he
said.

Golkar has won all six elections held under President
Soeharto. Last May in a landslide election victory, Golkar
obtained 74.3 percent of the votes, a significant increase from
the 68 percent it won in 1992. (imn)