Researchers oppose Habibie's candidacy

Researchers oppose Habibie's candidacy

JAKARTA (JP): Researchers from the National Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) urged the People's Consultative Assembly on
Tuesday not to make incumbent B.J. Habibie the next president.

In their statement, the scientists also declared their
opposition to any presidential candidate with links to former
president Soeharto's New Order regime.

"Habibie is politically naive and his achievement after
serving his 16-month tenure is no more than damaging the
political system, the economy, law enforcement and the morality
of the country's people," Mochtar Pabottingi said at a media
conference on behalf of some 50 colleagues who signed the
statement.

Among the signatories were Syamsuddin Harris, Ikrar Nusa
Bhakti, Moctar Pabottingi and Hermawan Sulistyo. Political
observer Muhammad A.S. Hikam attended the media conference, but
did not sign the statement.

The same demand was lodged by the Family of the Yogyakarta-
based Gadjah Mada University Alumni (Kagama). Its delegation led
by its chairman and senior lecturer Kunto Wibisono told new MPR
chairman Amien Rais that Habibie had failed to put an end to
economic and political crises and to carry out a sweeping reform.

"This transitional government has been proven unable to stop
the multi-dimension crises... The nation is bearing a heavy
burden stemming from increasing foreign loans," Kunto told Amien,
who is also member of Kagama.

LIPI researchers said the present administration was the
successor to the Soeharto regime, and Habibie's appointment to
the presidency was intended to protect his predecessor.

"The decision to freeze the investigation into the alleged
corruption by Soeharto is clear proof of this," Mochtar said,
referring to Attorney General Ismudjoko's announcement on Monday
that the investigation of Soeharto was being closed due to a lack
of evidence.

Then vice president Habibie took over the presidency when his
mentor Soeharto resigned in May last year following a wave of
student demonstrations demanding sweeping political reform.

A number of LIPI researchers also joined the students last
year in calling for Soeharto's resignation.

Habibie, who is Golkar Party's presidential nomination, is
touted as a leading presidential candidate, along with Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati
Soekarnoputri and Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid, who is the
candidate of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice
Party (PK).

Mochtar said Habibie could not satisfy the public's demand for
greater democracy because of his support for the military's dual
sociopolitical role. The researchers also highlighted what they
called Habibie's poor track record, including his failure to
resolve the high-profile Bank Bali scandal and the killing of
student demonstrators.

On Megawati, whose party won the most votes in the June 7
general election, although it fell short of securing a majority,
Mochtar said she would not necessarily win the presidency.

"But it will be a lie to the people if the poll winner doesn't
take the top post," he said, quickly adding: "It will also be a
hoax if a presidential candidate is not someone who is
intellectually and mentally capable, although that person is the
offspring of a very charismatic leader." (04/rms)