Habibie opts to wait and see an his VP nomination

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar vice presidential candidate B.J. Habibie refused yesterday to count his eggs before they hatched despite his apparent clear lead in the race for the country's second top position.

Habibie said after a meeting with President Soeharto that he would not comment on his nomination until the start of the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly next month.

"I don't want to break away from the tradition and culture of Pancasila democracy we have long preserved. Let's just wait," said Habibie, who is also state minister of research and technology.

Ruling political organization Golkar on Wednesday named Habibie, who has been a cabinet minister for 20 years, and its chairman Harmoko as its two vice presidential candidates.

Habibie said the vice presidential election came only after a series of programs set for the Assembly's five-yearly general session.

"First of all, we have to make the session a success," he said.

The 1,000-member Assembly will hold its general session from March 1 to March 11 to hear President Soeharto's accountability for his five-year administration, endorse the state policy guidelines and other decrees and elect a president and vice president.

Habibie said he did not discuss the vice presidential candidacy with Soeharto during yesterday's meeting.

"I just reported on some technology matters," said Habibie, who is also coordinator of Golkar's board of patrons this year. Soeharto chairs the powerful board.

The President insisted early this month that he would not announce his preferred running mate, saying it was the right of the five factions in the Assembly to do so.

Soeharto has now won unanimous support to serve another term, after the minority Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) followed yesterday in the footsteps of Golkar, its allies -- the Armed Forces (ABRI) and bureaucracy -- and the Moslem-based United Development Party.

Separately, ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said the Armed Forces had named one vice presidential candidate, but would wait until the March convention before announcing him or her.

Feisal said ABRI might have a different choice, but if this happens it would seek the advice of the chairman of Golkar's board of patrons, Soeharto.

"It'll be good if our candidate is the same as Golkar's," Feisal said.

Structurally, ABRI, whose members do not vote in general elections, shares power with Golkar and is part of the political organization's big family.

Chances

The chairman of Golkar's Assembly faction, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, said yesterday he could not yet comment over the nomination of Harmoko and Habibie.

However, Ginandjar, who is also the state minister of national development planning, said both Harmoko and Habibie were the "organization's best cadres" for the vice presidency.

Ginandjar's cabinet colleague, State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, said the nomination of both senior politicians was "still subject to changes".

"It's still an ongoing process in Golkar. As a member of the Golkar faction myself, I am still expecting an official explanation from the central board in the next plenary meeting," Sarwono said after another hearing at the House.

The outspoken minister who was Golkar's secretary-general for the 1983-1988 tenure said the vice presidential candidates' nomination should be done "seriously" given the person's imminent strategic role.

"Every post elected by the people should be carried out seriously, and (be given) to the best. So far, the process has yet to reach that point," he said.

Sarwono said nominating more than one name was not a problem and that it was unnecessary to avoid voting in the upcoming vice presidential election.

PDI chairman Soerjadi announced at the conclusion of the party's leadership meeting in Bogor, West Java, yesterday it had named seven candidates, but would unveil them later.

An executive of the Jakarta office of PDI said the candidates were incumbent Try Sutrisno, Habibie, Ginandjar, Soerjadi, Feisal, Minister of Information R. Hartono and Army chief of staff Gen. Wiranto.

In Semarang, political observers, Soehardjo S.S. and Susilo Utomo said Habibie had a slight upperhand in the contest for the second top post thanks to his international accesses and mastery of technology, two specific requirements set by Golkar's big family.

However, they said it was the Assembly that had the authority to choose one of them.

"I hope the Assembly won't make the wrong choice. We need not only a nice vice president, but an honest and clean one," Susilo said. (prb/imn/amd/aan/har)