Rudini challenges all to run for president

JAKARTA (JP): Noted political observer Rudini has challenged Indonesia's sons and daughters to take part in the 1998 presidential race, as he feels they all have an equal chance of winning.

"I don't believe that this country does not have qualified people to meet the standards to be our next president," he told reporters at his office yesterday.

The former home affairs minister, who now heads the Institute for Strategic Studies of Indonesia, was commenting on a recent promise of President Soeharto that he would not influence the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in electing a new head of state in 1998.

Soeharto, who has been in power for almost 30 years, told visiting Australian editors last week that he never pressured the assembly to re-elect him.

"It is the prerogative of the People's Consultative Assembly to elect a new president," said the President, who has been re- elected five times, making him among the world's longest-serving heads of government.

Rudini agreed that Soeharto has qualities which many people would find hard to equal. "Yet, I still believe that there are other people with good enough managerial and leadership skills to lead this country," he argued.

"Do you think that B.J. Habibie, Hartarto, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, or Siswono Yudohusodo, are not good enough?" he said. He was referring to, respectively, the Minister of Research and Technology, the Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution, the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Transmigration.

He also said that good presidential material might come from any background or organization.

"I know a number of capable persons from political and social organizations," he said. He did not elaborate, but said that any organization should have the courage to declare their own candidates for the presidential race.

"Let the people, through the MPR, decide who is best for the post," he said. "The key to the presidential succession is in the hands of MPR."

He added that the MPR members should also have the courage to speak out when they think that Soeharto has led the country for long enough and that there should be another leader.

Rudini, however, believed that Soeharto could retain his post if he wished to do so and was in good enough health.

The 1,000-member People's Consultative Assembly, the country's highest law-making body, is currently dominated by politicians affiliated to the ruling Golkar group.

It will convene in 1998 to elect the new president and to adopt the 1998-2003 state policy guidelines, as well as review laws proposed by political parties. (imn)