Habibie unchallenged in VP election

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko bowed out of the vice presidential race yesterday, leaving the coast clear for State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie to press forward unchallenged.

Harmoko claimed he "gracefully" threw in the towel because he, among other things, wanted to concentrate on his duties as the Speaker of both the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) -- the body in charge of the presidential and vice presidential elections next month.

"Golkar will nominate only one of its cadres for the vice presidency, namely Habibie," Harmoko told a media briefing, adding that Golkar's chief patron, President Soeharto, has instructed the organization to follow up the stance with formal procedures.

Golkar had previously named both Harmoko and Habibie. Harmoko said that he decided to quit during a meeting with the chief patron last week.

When the press asked whether Golkar's choice would help restore the country's ailing economy, Harmoko said the nomination had nothing to do with Indonesia's currency exchange rate or control over the price of the nine basic commodities.

"(Naming Habibie as the sole vice presidential candidate) is the responsibility of Golkar as the country's biggest political organization," he said.

Habibie's lone trip in the race was virtually secured hours later after the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) joined Golkar and fellow minority United Development Party (PPP) in supporting Habibie yesterday.

PDI Chairman Soerjadi told a media briefing that his party had decided to name Habibie -- rather than selecting someone from among its own cadres -- as its sole candidate, after reflecting on the tough obstacles that Indonesia will face over the next five years.

"We believe Pak Habibie will be able to cope with various problems in the future. We would not choose him if we did not believe in him", Soerjadi said, adding that the stance was taken to facilitate a smooth MPR session next month.

The Moslem-based PPP declared its decision to support Habibie on Sunday.

Soerjadi denied that the minority party was simply mimicking the other political groupings, saying that it had consulted Habibie and six other potential candidates, including incumbent vice president Try Soetrisno, before reaching its final decision.

"We did not choose (Habibie because he is) a Golkar cadre, but (because he is) a figure who deserves the vice presidential post. The same reasoning applies in our renomination of President Soeharto," he said.

Habibie himself declined to comment on the overwhelming support given to him.

"I suggest you (journalists) wait until the Assembly's general session," said Habibie after leading a meeting of Golkar's board of patrons. He is the 1998 coordinator of the board.

Asked for comment, Habibie said he would consider the post a burden because he would then have to help the elected president meet the people's aspirations and respond to the global challenges of the next century.

Separately, the secretary of Golkar's board of patrons, Akbar Tanjung, suggested ending all speculation over the next vice president, given the secure position that Habibie now enjoyed.

He said there was no doubt that Habibie would now be the sole vice presidential candidate put forward in the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly next month.

He added that the remaining MPR factions -- the regional representatives and the Armed Forces -- would declare their vice presidential candidates in the next few days.

Akbar Tanjung dismissed speculation that Harmoko withdrew from the race because President Soeharto ordered him to do so.

"No, it (the decision to name Habibie) was reached in an (earlier) meeting of Golkar's big family," he said.

Golkar's big family includes the Armed Forces, and the bureaucrats and mass organizations under Golkar's supervision.

Akbar again reiterated that Habibie was the man who met all of the criteria for a vice president established by Golkar's chief patron, Soeharto. (amd/imn)