Habibie yet to decide on his reelection

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)