Presidential election rules 'need changing'
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Changes in the presidential election rules are needed to accommodate extra-parliamentary nomination, a political expert said here yesterday.
Ichlasul Amal of Gadjah Mada University said the present rules disregarded the fact that people may want different nominees from those supported by factions in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
"A new tradition, which allows people to campaign for their own candidates, should be initiated. Factions should no longer be the only party (authorized) to make a decision, judging by the latest situation," Ichlasul said.
He was commenting on the presidential nomination of Muhammadiyah Moslem organization leader Amien Rais by various groups. Amien, also a lecturer at the university, is collecting signatures of one million supporters to convince the Assembly to nominate him.
The 1,000-strong Assembly will elect a president and vice president in March. A 1973 decree set up by the Assembly gives each of its five factions the authority to nominate a presidential candidate.
All but one faction have renominated incumbent President Soeharto for another five-year term.
Ichlasul said the political organizations contesting the general election should have unveiled their respective presidential and vice presidential candidates during the election rallies.
"The nomination of national leaders has been decided behind closed doors to make it difficult for people to judge the candidates," said Ichlasul.
Another observer, Cornelis Lay, said that Amien's bid to gain massive public support represented the mounting demand for people's participation in the political decision making process.
However, he said he was afraid the move would trigger a retaliation from the government and would only split the people into two sides.
In Jakarta, non-governmental organization Pijar Foundation proposed yesterday a cabinet lineup which they claimed would lead the country to a better future.
In a rally staged at the House of Representatives, 100 activists of the foundation nominated deposed chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri the republic's new president and Amien the vice president.
It was the latest demonstration demanding leadership succession after a series of rallies last week, with people calling for a new president as the key to overcoming the present economic crisis.
"We urge legislators not to reelect President Soeharto. We insist that you nominate and choose Megawati Soekarnoputri as the new president and Amien Rais the vice president," said Pijar in a statement read by executive chairman B.Y. Widyankristyoko.
The group called the Megawati-led administration the transitional government which will be in power from 1998 to 2000.
To help the two national leaders, Pijar named 28 figures ranging from intellectuals to soothsayers for cabinet seats and other top positions in or outside the government.
Included in the cabinet were jailed government critic Sri Bintang Pamungkas as minister of trade and industry, jailed unionist Muhtar Pakpahan as minister of labor affairs, political scientist Juwono Sudarsono as minister of defense, mass communications expert Jalaluddin Rakhmat as minister of information, businessman Aburizal Bakrie as minister of investment and economic expert Sjahrir as minister of finance.
Among the noted figures nominated for other posts were chairman of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization Abdurrahman Wahid as Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, and Surakarta, Central Java chief of the United Development Party Moedrick Sangidoe for House Speaker.
The activists also named former judge Adi Andojo Soetjipto for Chief Justice, incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno for chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, soothsayer Permadi for Attorney General and banking expert Laksamana Sukardi for Central Bank governor. (23/amd)