Habibie opts to wait and see an his VP nomination

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)