JP/1/ELECTION

In Yogyakarta, presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X for talks on how to improve security, law enforcement and people's welfare.

"As a presidential candidate, I need to communicate and consult figures with broad mind like him (Hamengkubuwono)," Susilo said after the meeting at the governor's office.

All other presidential candidates have met the sultan for consultation.

Susilo dismissed speculation that he had offered a position to the sultan, who quit the Golkar convention, which was eventually won by former military commander Gen. (ret) Wiranto.

"Don't reduce political communications to efforts to seek political interests. The time to discuss the design of administration will come only when the election results are announced. At the moment it is more important to make people understand what we are doing so they do not give the mandate to the wrong candidates," Susilo said.

Hamengkubuwono said not all of the presidential candidates who visited him talked about power sharing.

"I treat everybody equally. I just hope people elect the right person. Whoever the winner, he or she has to satisfy the wishes of people," he said.

Separately, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto reconfirmed the neutrality of the military in the direct presidential election, which involves former high- ranking military officers.

Endriartono said the TNI would not support nor prevent retired military officers from entering the race. The military's involvement in the elections was restricted to "ensuring the elections run smoothly".

"We (the TNI) are committed to maintaining neutrality during the elections and will not support nor pose a stumbling block to particular parties or presidential candidates," he told a media conference at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

"There are retired military officers contesting the election, I know that, but they do no have any obligation to ask endorsement from us (the TNI) because they have a right to participate in the political event."

Endriartono said the TNI had issued guidelines for military troops assigned to secure the election.