Prepare the nation for succession: Observers

Prepare the nation for succession: Observers

SEMARANG (JP): Political observers are making a fresh call for
more public discourse on succession in order to better prepare
the nation for the time when the transfer of national leadership
occurs.

Soehardjo, an expert on constitutional law at Diponegoro
University, said here yesterday that the public must be
conditioned to talk about such a delicate subject. "Otherwise,
the issue may prove to become a time bomb," he said without
elaborating.

Amien Rais, a political scientist at the Yogyakarta-based
Gadjah Mada University, agreed. "The sooner we have open
discussion about succession, the better," he said. "We shouldn't
leave discussions on such an important matter till the last
minute."

Soehardjo said that President Soeharto has recently sent
signals on the need to prepare the nation for a succession.

"We should respect his stance in this matter. How do we do
that? By making the best preparations for an eventual succession
and by preparing candidates," he said.

"Succession (of leadership) is an ordinary thing and should be
planned well," he said.

"We have only one interest in the matter, and that's to ensure
that succession proceeds smoothly, satisfies everybody, and that
no unnecessary upheavals take place," Amien said.

In response to someone's request that he run for election in
1998, President Soeharto said last week that the most important
thing for him is to complete his term until 1998.

"What happens after is up to the People's Consultative
Assembly," he has said. "But you should know that I'll be 77
then, and that is old."

Gen. (ret) Soemitro, a former chief of the defunct internal
security agency, interpreted Soeharto's statement as a hint that
he would not be willing to be renominated for a new term.

"His statement implied that he would like to give a younger
person the opportunity to lead this country," Soemitro said. He
added, however, that the President is not always predictable, and
recalled the 1977 general election when Soeharto hinted that he
was willing to step down.

Despite academic discussions on whether Soeharto would step
down, overwhelming support for his reelection continues to pour
in. Only last week, for instance, over 10,000 Christians in Bali
and a Moslem organization affiliated with the ruling Golkar
organization proclaimed support for Soeharto's reelection.

The discourse on succession itself rises and ebbs, but has
taken on greater openness over time. Amien Rais was the first
scholar to bring up the issue of leadership succession in
December 1993, only months after the nation reelected Soeharto to
his sixth consecutive term.

"There is no other option. Presidential succession must occur
in 1998," Amien said then.

Soehardjo said that Soeharto's statement last week was not the
first; the President has given the same hint several times.
"Political organizations should respond to these signals," he
said. (swe/har)