Majority regard Soeharto as 'unbeatable': Sudomo
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is never short of capable leaders for the presidency, but none can match the qualities found in incumbent President Soeharto, a former close aide said.
"I don't mean to make a cult out of Pak Harto (Soeharto), and besides, we have the five-yearly election system, but the majority of the people still see Pak Harto as unbeatable," Sudomo, currently chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, was quoted as saying by Antara.
Sudomo, who served under Soeharto in the military and in the cabinet, said the 74-year old President has three particular qualities that are not found among other potential leaders.
"Pak Harto has vision. He is also responsive because that is the way soldiers are trained -- analyze and explore before making a decision. And he is never trapped by his own decisions. Rather, he, along with his aides, makes sure that the decisions are put into operation," said the retired Navy admiral.
Sudomo made the remarks in Jombang where he was attending a graduation ceremony at the nursing school run by the Darul Ulum pesantren (Moslem boarding school).
His remarks came as several groups in society began calling on President Soeharto to stay at the helm after he completes his current term in office, his sixth, in 1998.
A youth wing of the ruling political group Golkar, Generasi Muda Gabungan Rakyat Karya Indonesia, set the ball rolling last week by requesting Soeharto run for the 1998 presidential election, saying that Soeharto "is still needed" by the country.
Reelection
Sudomo dismissed the suggestions that the reelection of Soeharto as president reflects a dire shortage of figures capable of leading the country, or that there is no political mechanism for leadership succession.
Cabinet ministers and other senior government officials are "cadres" whose qualities have already been assessed by the public, he said.
"So if people vote for Pak Harto, it is not because there are no other cadres, but rather because the majority of the people feel that Pak Harto is still the most capable among all the others," he was quoted as saying.
Sudomo said the remarks were purely his private opinion and that it was not his intention to preempt the 1998 gathering of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which will elect the next president and vice president.
Commenting on the open calls now being made by some organizations for Soeharto to stay at the helm, Sudomo said their demands are valid. "It's a healthy sign of democracy. Anyone can speak out. Their calls only become questionable if they have certain motives behind their moves," he said.
Some politicians have criticized the Golkar's youth organization for making its call last week and pointed out that it was inconsistent with Golkar's own leaders' past assertion that any debate about the presidential election before the MPR sitting is "unethical". (emb)