Military figures say no to age limitation on VP

JAKARTA (JP): Military figures dismissed yesterday a senior government official's suggestion that the country's vice presidency should only be open to people less advanced in years.

Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, military observer Rudini and ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Yunus Yosfiah separately told the press that it was not necessary to limit vice presidential candidates to certain age groups.

"What's more important is that a candidate meets all the criteria and is able to work with the elected president," Syarwan said after attending a House general session yesterday.

Chairman of the Institute for Strategic Studies of Indonesia, Rudini, said a vice president should be someone who can be accepted by every group in society.

"Why elect a vice president that will only lead the country into conflict?" he asked.

Yunus suggested that people not "steal" the authority to elect the leading state figures from the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"Nobody is supposed to give direction on the vice presidential election mechanism, by adding age limits to the criteria. Let's just leave the task to the MPR," he told reporters after chairing a meeting with local newspaper chief editors.

Syarwan, Rudini and Yunus were commenting on the Supreme Advisory Council chairman Sudomo's statement Tuesday that the next vice president -- if there is a new one -- should be younger than incumbent Try Sutrisno. He predicted the person would be selected from among the ranks of cabinet members.

Vice President Try Sutrisno was born in 1935.

Asked about Sutrisno's chance for reelection, Syarwan said it would rest on the elected president.

"If Pak Sutrisno is reelected, it is because he can cooperate with President Soeharto," he said.

"And it does not stipulate in the 1945 Constitution nor in any other law that an incumbent vice president cannot be reelected," he added.

Rudini shared Syarwan's opinion.

"Sudomo's statement was theoretical in nature, because there is no regulation prohibiting an incumbent vice president from reelection," he said. (imn)