Habibie yet to decide on his reelection

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said yesterday that he had yet to decide whether or not to run for the presidency in next year's planned general elections, saying it is too early for him to decide since his mind is preoccupied with lifting the nation out of its crisis.

His response seemed to backtrack on previous remarks he made earlier this month that he would not run for the presidency.

Habibie was responding yesterday to a question from eight leaders of the Muhammadiyah's Youth Organization, whom he met yesterday, who asked him whether press reports citing he is unwilling to run for the presidency were true.

"I found the (journalist's) question very strange, because I had just began my task (as president) and then people were asking me about what would happen in 2000," the Muhammadiyah Youth organization chairman Hajriyanto Thohari quoted Habibie as saying during their meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Hajriyanto claimed that Habibie was now enveloped in solving national issues rather than his own election.

"What's important now for Pak Habibie is to provide basic essentials, to rehabilitate the economy and to create job opportunities," the youth leader said.

In an interview earlier this month, Habibie pointed out that he had no plans to continue as head of state after the next presidential election next year.

He reaffirmed his position with leaders of the Indonesian Chamber of Industry and Trade two days later saying that it was enough for him to lead the nation into having a newly democratic government next year.

It is unclear why he now seems to be backtracking on his initial statements.

Habibie's own explanation yesterday was vague, "You must understand that many guests come here. Some of them were very outspoken and didn't agree with my position as Indonesia's third president, and you must also know there were even guests who openly said 'you have no right to be seated there (as president)'".

Habibie also assured them that he was his own man and not just a puppet of former president Soeharto.

Nevertheless Habibie conceded having many fond memories of Soeharto whom has known for 49 years.

He pointed out that since being sworn in as president on May 21, the first contact he had with Soeharto was when he telephoned his predecessor on his 77th birthday on June 8.

"Frankly speaking, I do miss you Pak," Hajriyanto quoted Habibie as telling Soeharto.

"I miss you too," Soeharto replied, said Habibie. (prb)