Presidential debate seen as a waste of time

Presidential debate seen as a waste of time

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto's former military advisor,
Gen. (ret) Soemitro, said yesterday that debate over the
presidential succession was a waste of time -- as "he knows" when
to step down.

Soemitro, former chief of the now defunct Kopkamtib (the
Operational Command for Law and Order Restoration), said it was
time-consuming and "not necessary" for people to get involved in
such a discussion.

"People should not tell Soeharto to quit as he already knows
when he is supposed to vacate the presidential seat," he told
reporters yesterday.

Soemitro was commenting on Soeharto's statement before Golkar
leaders Sunday that the dominant political organization should
prove whether people really supported his renomination for the
1998/2003 presidential term. Soeharto also said he would readily
step aside if the people choose another candidate.

Soemitro said he believed that Soeharto would be reelected in
next year's presidential election.

"People should comprehend his (Soeharto's) statement as a call
for the younger generation to prepare themselves for the day he
resigns," he said.

Political observer Amien Rais of Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada
University said yesterday there should be an open national dialog
on Soeharto's statement.

"We can ethically, openly, and in a responsible manner, talk
about the state leadership candidates," Amien, who chairs the 28-
million strong Muhammadiyah Moslem organization, said in
Sidoardjo, East Java.

He said he did not believe Soeharto was merely trying to be
courteous with his statement. "He really wanted some rejuvenation
in state political affairs," Amien said.

Golkar should have the moral strength to nominate other
candidates, Amien said.

The people, not Soeharto, were to blame if the incumbent
President was undemocratically reelected, Amien said.

"Pak Harto would surely be very happy if he is reelected only
after the people nominate him and several other names, make a
comparison, and eventually choose him as the most appropriate
person," he said.

Members of the 1,000-strong People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) will convene next March to elect a president and vice
president and endorse the Broad Guidelines of the 1998/2003 State
Policies.

Political observer of the Surabaya-based Airlangga University
Aribowo predicted there would soon be a lot of individuals or
groups publicly expressing their support for Soeharto's
renomination.

Soehardjo S.S. and Yuwanto at the Diponegoro University's
School of Social and Political Sciences in Semarang both believed
Soeharto would be reelected for another term, but challenged the
MPR to limit presidential terms in the post-Soeharto era.

Armed Forces (ABRI) spokesman Brig. Gen. A. Wahab Mokodongan
said Soeharto would only accept Golkar's proposal if the
political organization could prove that people thought he was the
best candidate.

"Pak Harto would like to find out whether people really want
him for presidency. Or were the people forced by Golkar to say
so?" he asked yesterday. (imn/har/nur)