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)