R. Hartono tipped as next vice president

R. Hartono tipped as next vice president

JAKARTA (JP): Discourses on Indonesia's next vice presidency
resurfaced yesterday when Suhardiman, a political observer and
one of President Soeharto's aides, said the second top position
would go to someone with a military background.

Suhardiman said there should not be any discussion on whether
the next vice president would be a civilian or military man, but
there was a great possibility that the post would go to someone
from the Armed Forces.

"In this case, Minister of Information R. Hartono has a
greater opportunity than the others," he said.

Suhardiman earlier named several figures he believed could
become vice president. Two are civilians: State Minister of
Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and State Minister of
Special Assignments/Golkar chairman Harmoko.

The other three names he mentioned have military backgrounds:
incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno, R. Hartono, who is former
army chief of staff, and State Minister of National Development
Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita.

Suhardiman, however, said he believed Try Sutrisno's chance at
the position was not as good as the others' as no other vice
president has ever served a second term.

Compared to Ginandjar, according to Suhardiman, Hartono had
"added values", namely the command posts he previously held in
the military.

Hartono was chief of the Brawijaya Regional Military Command,
which oversees East Java, in 1990 to 1993 before he was appointed
commander of the Armed Forces Staff and Command School and
governor of the National Resilience Institute, both in 1993.

He was later assigned Armed Forces chief of sociopolitical
affairs in 1994 before being appointed army chief of staff the
following year.

Hartono has declined to comment on the likelihood of his
chances of a vice presidency nomination.

"It's not ethical to talk about the national leadership
succession now. Our constitution says it is to be held in a
general session of the People's Consultative Assembly," he said
yesterday.

The 1,000-strong assembly will meet next March to elect a
president and vice president and adopt the five-year Broad
Guidelines of State Policies.

Suhardiman, however, acknowledged that Habibie and Ginandjar
were likely candidates.

"Both Habibie and Ginandjar acted as witnesses in the wedding
of President Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra last
April," he said, indicating their close relationship with the
President.

Suhardiman, who is deputy chairman of the Supreme Advisory
Council, said he based his prediction on the current social and
political situation, especially in relation to Soeharto heading
toward his 80s.

He said he believed Soeharto, who turned 76 in June this year,
would be reelected president next March.

"Should anything 'permanent' happen to the President during
his term of office, the next vice president would automatically
replace him," he said

In July last year, President Soeharto received medical
treatment in Germany but was later given a clean bill of health
for a man of his age.

ICMI

Hartono separately disclosed his intention yesterday to apply
for membership to the influential Association of Indonesian
Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), which is chaired by Habibie.

"I have been interested in joining ICMI since its
establishment in 1990," he said after installing officials of
state-owned movie industry PFN and state-owned printing company
PNRI.

ICMI was established in Malang, East Java, on Dec. 7, 1990,
when Hartono was commander of the Brawijaya Regional Military
Command.

Hartono said he had submitted his application to ICMI's
secretary-general, Adi Sasono.

"However, I need to ask for the President's approval before I
join the association," he said.

The association has gone from strength to strength since its
inception, with the inclusion of powerful figures as patrons.
Both Soeharto and Try are patrons, albeit in a private capacity.

At one stage, the association was deemed powerful enough to
have played a role in the forming of the current cabinet as a
number of ministers are also ICMI members. (imn)