Habibie set for dialog with Emil -- at the right time
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie welcomed yesterday senior economist Emil Salim's offer for a dialog on economic issues, but said it was unfeasible at present as the country was preparing for the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Habibie said before a cabinet meeting on development supervision at Merdeka Selatan Vice Presidential Palace that the nation should concentrate on the five-yearly session which is scheduled to begin on March 1.
"I welcome any ideas which are beneficial to our development programs, and we have a democratic mechanism under the guidance of Pancasila (the state ideology)," he said.
"We have been preparing for the session not for the past three months but at least the past five years. There are only a few days left before it is upon us," Habibie added.
Habibie, who has gained unanimous support from all the Assembly's factions for the vice presidency, was commenting on Emil's proposal to hold a dialog on economic development in the wake of the financial crisis.
A former minister of environment and one of the New Order's founding fathers, Emil made the headlines alongside Habibie after he announced his bid for the vice presidency. No factions in the Assembly have supported it but a group of senior national figures, including noted economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, have backed Emil.
He admitted Monday he was well aware that his chances of being elected vice president were slim, but said that his prime intention was not to clinch the seat, but to set an example of how the principles of democracy should be exercised and respected.
Habibie hinted yesterday that Emil did not deserve the opportunity to stand for the second top post because of the absence of support from the Assembly factions.
"His (Emil's) nomination has been discussed by Golkar as well as other political organizations. We already know the outcome and we must accept it if we wish to abide by the democratic mechanism," Habibie said.
Deputy Assembly speaker Abdul Gafur shared Habibie's view, saying that Emil's vice presidency bid was impossible because all five factions in the Assembly had already named Habibie as their sole candidate.
However, Gafur praised Emil's bid as an enhancement of the nation's political education.
Another deputy Assembly speaker, Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, said Emil's chances of success were slim because he made his bid outside the formal political system.
He doubted that the growing support for Emil in the past few days would be significant enough to change the Assembly's mind.
Support continued to come in for Emil yesterday, despite his unrealistic bid, this time from State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.
Sarwono said after a discussion at Sunda Kelapa Mosque that Emil's decision to stand for the vice presidency should give the country's future leaders a moral lesson.
"This nation is in need of moral leadership, that is always committed to complying with moral values. Emil represents the nation's longing for a figure who has a clean record," Sarwono said.
Sarwono said the economic agony the country was currently suffering was the result of the moral decadence of both the government and businesspeople.
"If we fail to choose honest leaders, I'm afraid the crisis will last for one or two generations," Sarwono warned.
He said he would not join the campaign for Emil's nomination but would be ready to defend Emil should he face political consequences for his move.
Former minister of home affairs Rudini suggested that people refrain from opposing or being suspicious of Habibie's nomination.
"We'd rather give him (Habibie) a chance. I think many of us have not yet seen all his leadership capabilities," Rudini said in Bandung.
Rudini said Habibie was a man of brilliant intelligence with a worldwide reputation, thanks to his mastery of advanced technology.
"But we need a leader who manages to unite the nation, and the figure is President Soeharto," he said. (43/har/byg/prb/amd)