Golkar's choice of Soeharto wins more support

JAKARTA (JP): A pattern of increasing public statements backing President Soeharto for the 1988/2003 presidency is starting to emerge in the wake of Golkar's decision two weeks ago to nominate him as the faction's choice.

The latest statement of support for Soeharto's renomination has come from a group of former student leaders of the 1966 Movement, the Ikatan Keluarga Besar Arief Rachman Hakim, which renewed yesterday its call for the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to put the incumbent on the list of presidential candidates.

Earlier this week, a youth wing of Golkar, the Organization of Kosgoro's Young Generation, had also made a fresh call for Soeharto's renomination.

The emerging pattern repeats those of previous presidential elections which have always seen a buildup in newspaper pages and on television of statements supporting Soeharto's renomination.

The 1966 Movement formally declared its support for Soeharto's renomination at its leadership meeting last January.

"There is no doubt that we want the MPR to include President Soeharto in next year's presidential election," the group's chairman, Djusril Djusan, told reporters.

Members of the historic group, the so-called Generation of 1966, pride themselves on their pivotal role in establishing the New Order government of President Soeharto.

Their street demonstrations in 1966, after the abortive coup attempt by the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) on Sept. 30, 1965, and a continued uncontrollable rise in inflation, forced then president Sukarno to step down to make way for Soeharto, then an Army general, to assume power.

The student group took its name from Arief Rachman Hakim, a student leader who was killed during one of the demonstrations.

Djusril declined to name the group's choice of candidates for vice president.

"We have three or four candidates for vice president, but we will disclose our choice next January at our national conference," he said.

"He must be able to cooperate with the elected president and have the capacity and integrity needed for a state leader," he said. He did not elaborate.

The Organization of Kosgoro's Young Generation renewed its call of support for Soeharto at the end of its four-day leadership meeting in Surabaya.

The organization did not recommend a name for vice president, but outlined 11 criteria that it suggested should be used in selecting the number two position.

These included the need for the candidate to come from a younger generation, to be able to cooperate with the elected president and to be acceptable to all elements of society.

Another politically well-connected youth organization, the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI), has gone a step further by including in its ongoing congress in Surabaya a session to pick the four most suitable names for vice presidential candidates.

They have reportedly favored the following names: incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, State Minister for National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat. (imn)