President Soeharto urged to lead national dialog

President Soeharto urged to lead national dialog

JAKARTA (JP): An independence war veteran suggested over the
weekend that President Soeharto lead a national dialog on state
matters.

"Pak Harto is the appropriate person for the job ... he should
be the one to initiate a national dialog," said Maj. Gen. (ret)
Pamoe Rahardjo, chairman of Pembela Tanah Air Foundation, an
organization of former independence fighters, in a discussion
here Saturday.

Pamoe cited several reasons for holding the national dialog,
including what he called violations of the principles of the
state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

"For instance, the House of Representatives has not
represented Indonesians. Instead, the legislative body represents
only certain groups in society," he said.

The call for a national dialog was first made last month by
political observer Amien Rais. It has gained momentum, and debate
rages on whether there is a need for one.

Proponents say national issues of state leadership succession,
the empowerment of the House and human rights protection merit a
national dialog.

Opponents, however, say there is no need for a national dialog
on succession as there is already a proper forum for that, namely
the general assembly of the People's Consultative Assembly next
March.

Chairman of the ruling Golkar faction Harmoko is among those
who believe that a dialog is unnecessary, but the number of
supporters urging a dialog is growing.

On Saturday, the ousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, and Dahlan Ranuwihardjo,
another Pembela Tanah Air Foundation member, affirmed the need
for a dialog.

Dahlan said it was impossible to settle all state problems
without the people's participation.

"Be realistic. There is no single group that can settle all
national problems single-handedly," Dahlan said.

"Golkar cannot settle all the problems alone," he added.

Megawati said the idea of holding a dialog was brilliant, but
not without problems.

"Who is supposed to take responsibility and who will
participate?" she asked.

Dahlan said the entire country -- state leaders and figures,
the Armed Forces and the general public -- should be involved.

"And we would be very pleased if Soeharto could take part in
the dialog," he said.

Poll

Separately in Semarang, People's Consultative Assembly member
Muladi lashed out at a proposal to hold a poll on presidential
candidates for the 1998/2003 period.

Muladi, also rector of state-run Diponegoro University and
member of the National Commission on Human Rights, called the
plan unconstitutional because according to the 1945 Constitution,
the president and vice president were elected by the Assembly
every five years.

"A poll, even though it might be supportive for incumbent
President Soeharto, would only lead to the country's
disintegration," Muladi said after a graduation ceremony at the
university on Saturday.

Amien Rais called for the poll last week in response to
Soeharto's request that Golkar cadres reconsider their support
for his reelection,

Muladi said Indonesian people should stick to the
Constitution, not only because it was a legal document, but also
a statement of ideas of the country's founding fathers which was
worth preserving.

"A democratic society always respects its constitution," he
said.

Instead he suggested an improvement to the recruitment process
of legislative bodies to make them more responsive to public
aspirations, including in presidential matters.

Another observer, Soehardjo, threw his weight behind the poll,
because it would only reveal public choices. "Such a practice is
very common in democratic countries. Let it go ahead, but the
final say of who the president will be will come from the
Assembly," Soehardjo said.

The 1,000-strong Assembly will elect a president in March.
(imn/har/amd)