Rudini challenges all to run for president
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)