Parties reject demand to name VP candidates

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's three political organizations cold- shouldered yesterday the growing calls that they name their vice presidential candidates now rather than wait until after the presidential election in March.

The dominant Golkar and the minority United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) gave different reasons for their stance, but agreed it would be useless to name any candidates now only to have them rejected by the elected president.

"We'll name our candidate through democratic and constitutional procedures, so let's wait and see," said Golkar chairman Harmoko. "We'll name our candidate in March."

"It's no use naming our candidate early only to witness the elected president say no," said PPP deputy chairman Jusuf Syakir.

PDI secretary-general Buttu Hutapea said he was unsure that the party leaders would announce their vice presidential nominees when they meet in mid-February.

"It will depend on how the meeting develops. If the majority vote in favor of the announcement, we will name our candidate. Or else, we will defer the job of announcing the name to our chairman," Buttu said.

He said the party had so far accepted seven names put forward by the PDI. They are incumbent Try Sutrisno, Minister of Information R. Hartono, Harmoko, State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto and businesswoman Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, who is Soeharto's eldest daughter.

Kosgoro, a cooperatives wing of Golkar, nominated Wednesday incumbent Try Sutrisno, Harmoko, R. Hartono and Ginandjar Kartasasmita for the vice presidency.

Soeharto confirmed Tuesday his readiness to be nominated for his seventh consecutive term. Though some people have stated their willingness to be nominated, it has been a foregone conclusion that Soeharto would run unchallenged.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is responsible for electing a president and vice president. However, in the past elections under the New Order administration, it was Soeharto, with the assistance of an extraparliamentary group, who chose the vice president.

The economic crisis which has affected Indonesia since mid 1997 has led many people to believe that it was sparked, among others, by uncertainty on how the country would fare post- Soeharto.

Many analysts have said it is imperative that the five MPR factions -- Golkar, PPP, PDI, the Armed Forces and the regional representatives -- name their vice presidential candidates to alleviate political uncertainty which has led to market crashes.

Succession

Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, Sudomo, said political organizations should have named their vice presidential candidates since election campaigning in April last year.

"It (naming the candidates) would have helped avoid uncertainty about the state leadership succession," he said.

"After all, it would be better if the voters know who would be their president and vice president, before they voted for any political organizations in the general elections," he said.

He said: "The vice president must have a vision for the future and last but not least, the capability to make a decision."

Meanwhile, Hartono said Golkar's criteria that the next vice president should be able to master technology did not narrow the field to only certain figures.

"God willing, there are people who meet the criteria... maybe even more than one," he was quoted by Antara as saying during a breaking of the fast gathering at his residence yesterday.

He said the criteria could refer to a person who masters technology, but could also mean someone who could manage people who master technology.

"What the person needs is a vision of technology, not necessarily mastery in technology," said Hartono, adding that an important vice presidential criteria was the ability to unify this diverse country.

Golkar's statement that a vice president should master technology led many people to believe that it was Habibie.

Separately, political observers Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia and Nurdien H.K. of the Semarang-based Diponegoro University, and labor leader Wilhelmus Bokha supported an early announcement of vice presidential candidates.

Arbi, a lecturer at the School of Social and Political Sciences, agreed with State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja who said Wednesday the Assembly should do it "now".

Arbi said proposing criteria for a vice president would not help solve the crisis of confidence in the government, which had caused the economy to dip to its lowest level.

Nurdien said that because Golkar failed to name its vice presidential candidates, "there was an impression that Golkar was undecided and confused... this only caused the market to speculate."

Bokha of the Federation of All-Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI) said people need "both political and psychological certainty" on who will be the country's next leader. (har/aan/amd/imn/swe)