Idul Fitri for presidents past and present

JAKARTA (JP): The Idul Fitri Muslim holiday on Tuesday will be the first for B.J. Habibie as President of Indonesia. It will also be the first for Soeharto as an ordinary citizen after celebrating it as the head of state for 32 consecutive years.

Soeharto and an entourage of 150 people are expected to arrive on Monday in Surakarta, Central Java, to greet the holiday -- known locally as Lebaran -- at his private mansion Dalem Kalitan.

The former president, his six children, 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild, along with other family members, are planning to say their Idul Fitri prayer at Al Fajar Mosque in the Dalem Kalitan complex.

Meanwhile, President Habibie and his wife Hasri Ainun Besari will spend the Lebaran at their private residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

"The First Family will... not hold an open house, but it will be difficult for Bapak and Ibu to refuse well-wishers," a Palace official said on Friday.

Along with sons Ilham Akbar and Thariq Kemal and their spouses, Habibie and Ainun will say their prayer at the Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta. Ilham's children, Nadia, 6, and Pasha, 2, are also expected to join their grandparents.

While in Surakarta, Soeharto's family plans to hold a religious service to remember the late Tien Soeharto, who died on April 28, 1996. The 1,000th day commemoration of her demise will fall on Thursday.

Sources close to Soeharto's family acknowledged that even if the former president chose to spend Lebaran at his private residence on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta, not many people, including his former cronies, could be expected to visit to wish him well.

However, Habibie himself has openly said he planned to visit his former mentor for Idul Fitri. Minister of Defense/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto is also expected to turn up; he sometimes visits Cendana as he is a friend of the former president.

What are the most serious problems facing Soeharto and Habibie in celebrating this Lebaran?

"We hope that protesters will be too busy to disturb the family's activities at Dalem Kalitan," a source close to Soeharto's family said on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, the Republika daily reported that Solo activists planned to stage a demonstration against Soeharto's visit.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo said here on Friday that there were no plans to lay on special security arrangements for the former president, but he appealed to locals to respect Soeharto and his family entourage.

Moedrick S.M. Sangidoe, a popular politician here, was quoted as saying he supported the protest, providing it did not disrupt public order.

"I'm all for it (the protest)," he said.

Separately, Central Java Governor Mardiyanto said he would not attach any special importance to the former president's visit.

"I have other more important things to look into. Like floods, landslides and damaged roads in the wake of the (Idul Fitri) exodus," he said. He said that military commander Brig. Gen. Bibit Waluyo should not provide "excessive" security for the visit because the city's residents had "exemplary tolerance."

As for Habibie, "The most threatening problem for the First Family is Pak Habibie's habit of tasting all the food provided for the guests," said a palace official.

What are Soeharto's moods these days?

"It was (once) his dream to be buried as the country's president," a loyal aide recently said.

Tien Soeharto was buried in a grand state ceremony and treated as a national heroine. The lengthy ceremony was broadcast live by the country's six television stations, and patriotic songs and mournful music were repeatedly aired for days, while newspapers and magazines were plastered with advertised condolences.

It remains to be seen whether 77-year-old, five-star Gen. (ret) Soeharto, will receive such an emotional and tearful farewell.

Will Habibie still be president in the next Lebaran?

The presidential election is scheduled to be held in November, while the next Lebaran will fall on January.

Habibie has not clearly stated whether he will seek to be re- elected. Many observers say the country's economic improvement will be a key factor in earning him another term. (prb)