On vice presidency

In this global era, rigid partitions that formerly kept nations' affairs of state separate and distinct have ceased to exist and the concept of sovereignty is becoming increasingly vague and diluted. Weakening of state power can even be seen in what the Indonesian political elite refer to as "the existing mechanism". Usually guaranteed to render certainty to an equivocal political situation, the existing mechanism is now itself lacking certitude.

This was demonstrated through the emergence of a second potential vice presidential candidate, even as BJ Habibie unanimously secured the official nomination from all factions of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which will begin its quinquennial General Session next week.

When Emil Salim became linked with the coveted post at the same time BJ Habibie was announced as the sole candidate under the existing mechanism, many people became confused. They wondered what the political elite were up to.

The IPKI, an independent political organization, cast further confusion when it said in a statement that Habibie's nomination did not guarantee that he will be the person chosen to serve under President Soeharto during the 1998/2003 term.

The vice chairman of the DPR and MPR, former Jakarta governor R. Soeprapto, has also stated that he thought there was still the possibility of a second vice presidential candidate emerging.

For the common citizen, the sooner the question of the vice presidential succession is cleared up the better. Why? Because the hunger, caused by the rising price of basic commodities, is becoming harder and harder to bear, especially for people in the lower strata of society.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta