Ministerial kudos for Soeharto
Ministerial kudos for Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto's promise not to influence the People's Consultative Assembly in electing a new head of state in 1998 won praise from two cabinet ministers yesterday.
Minister of Defense and Security Gen. (ret.) Edi Sudradjat and Minister of Information Harmoko said yesterday that Soeharto's statement reflected his characteristic as a "democrat".
"President Soeharto respects the Assembly's right to elect a new president," Edi told newsmen after addressing the 31st anniversary of the National Resilience Institute, Lemhannas.
Soeharto, who has been in power for almost 30 years, told visiting Australian editors on Tuesday that he never pressured the assembly to re-elect him.
"It is the Assembly's prerogative to elect a new president," said the president, who has been re-elected five times, putting him among the world's longest-serving heads of government.
Re-election
The Australian guests asked President Soeharto, who heads the ruling Golkar's board of patrons, if he will seek another re- election in 1998.
The 1,000 member People's Consultative Assembly, the country's highest law-making body, is currently dominated by politicians affiliated to the ruling Golkar.
It will convene in 1998 to elect the new president and to adopt the 1998-2003 guidelines of state policy, as well as review laws proposed by political parties.
Many observers believe Soeharto will retain his post if he wishes to stay in power.
Support also came from Harmoko, the Golkar chief, who is also the Minister of Information.
He said yesterday the President's remarks showed that President Soeharto means to uphold democratic principles. "The Assembly has the right to elect a new head of government.
Harmoko, known as one of Soeharto's confidantes, said Golkar is not interested in discussing the presidential election ahead of the general meeting of the Assembly.
"Golkar will announce its position during the general meeting," he said.
Meanwhile, in Yogyakarta, a visiting Australian professor at the Gadjah Mada University's school of socio-political sciences, Lance Castle, said he was optimistic Soeharto will be re-elected.
"If Soeharto runs again, no one will have the courage to challenge him," Castle told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
He was commenting on a statement by chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, who said over the weekend that currently, no other person in the country has Soeharto's qualities to run for president.
Castle also said that Soeharto is a strong figure with an international leadership reputation that no one else has. Recently, activists of the rift-ridden Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) urged the party's chief, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to run for president.
The maneuver of the eldest daughter of former president Sukarno to enter the 1998 presidential race has received a strong push from three senior PDI politicians, Marwan Adam, S.G.B. Tampubolon and Aberson Marle Sihaloho.
Also challenging Soeharto is Berar Fathia, a little-known PDI member. She announced her intention to enter the race last month.
Support for Soeharto's renomination has been pouring in from various institutions and individuals, including chairman of the Supreme Advisory Board Sudomo, Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo and a number of Golkar executives. (imn/har)