No need to organized rallies for presidential candidacy: Legislator
No need to organized rallies for presidential candidacy: Legislator
JAKARTA (JP): A legislator criticized groups yesterday who had
already called for President Soeharto's reelection for the 1998
to 2003 term, labeling the moves as attempts to curry favor with
the head of state.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Forces faction
Suparman Achmad also accused those who organized such calls of
only seeking popularity.
"We no longer need to organize rallies for support (especially
if they are meant to justify) demands for rewards after the
president is elected," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Suparman also targeted groups who organized political prayers,
or gatherings to pray for Soeharto's reelection.
Public calls for Soeharto's renomination are becoming more and
more regular. One of the most recent took place last week when
the Sulawesi Community for Harmony announced that it would ask
the People's Consultative Assembly to reelect the 75-year-old
President.
If reelected next year, Soeharto will serve his sixth five-
year term.
The consultative assembly comprises all 500 members of the
House of Representatives and 500 representatives of various
groups, professions and regions.
The Aceh community, whose leaders include Minister of Food
Ibrahim Hasan and his predecessor Bustanil Arifin, gathered here
over the weekend to pray for Soeharto.
Suparman said that all nominations of presidential and vice
presidential candidates should be made during the general
assembly of the People's Consultative Assembly in March next
year.
Suparman denied that discussion on possible vice president
nominees had received wider coverage than that on the president.
"People pay equal attention to both presidential and vice
presidential candidates, because they cannot be separated in the
state's administration," said Suparman.
Nobody had ever challenged Soeharto for the presidency until
Sri Bintang Pamungkas, chairman of the unrecognized Indonesian
Democratic Union Party, nominated himself last year.
Bintang is currently being questioned for subversion by the
Attorney General Office.
Suparman also branded as unethical the nomination of vice
presidential nominees by a number of politicians recently.
Former chairman of the United Development Party Jaelani Naro
was the first to raise the issue. He said there should be more
than one vice presidential candidate when the consultative
assembly convenes.
"We'd better pay more attention on how to calm ourselves so
that the upcoming general election can run smoothly," Suparman
said.
During the 1988 assembly, Naro challenged the then chairman of
dominant political group Golkar, Sudharmono, for the vice
presidency. Only after mounting pressure for a unanimous vote did
Naro withdraw and leave the field open for Sudharmono. (amd)