Soeharto endorses 1,000 members of Assembly
Soeharto endorses 1,000 members of Assembly
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has endorsed the entire
lineup of 1,000 people for the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) which will meet to elect the country's next president and
vice president in March, the Ministry of Home Affairs said
yesterday.
The Assembly consists of all 500 members of the House of
Representatives, and another 500 members chosen from various
walks of life, from politicians, civil servants and the military,
to religious leaders, regional leaders and public figures.
The new members will be sworn in on Oct. 1.
Most politicians and analysts say MPR is likely to reelect the
incumbent 76-year-old President for a seventh five-year term in
March. There has been speculation, however, about the vice
presidential post.
The Assembly will be strongly dominated by Golkar, with 488
members. The powerful Armed Forces (ABRI) faction will have 113
members, the United Development Party (PPP) 134, and the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) 16.
The faction of regional representatives will have 149 members.
The remaining 100 members will be representatives of various
groups, mostly mass organizations and professional associations.
They will not have a faction of their own, as they traditionally
join Golkar during the Assembly meeting.
The list of MPR members published by the government yesterday
included all members of the present cabinet.
State Minister of Special Assignments Harmoko heads the list
and his position as Golkar chairman makes him the front-runner
for the job of speaker of the House and chairman of MPR.
Other senior government officials in MPR include former
director general of sociopolitical affairs at the Ministry of
Home Affairs Soetoyo N.K., inspector-general of the Ministry of
Home Affairs Soedardjat Nataatmadja, deputy secretary-general of
the General Elections Institute Walujo, outgoing vice governor of
Jakarta Idroes and director for political affairs at the Ministry
of Home Affairs Suko Martono.
Also representing Golkar will be President Soeharto's children
Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Bambang Trihatmodjo, Siti Hediati
Prabowo and Hutomo Mandala Putra, as well as daughter-in-law
Halimah Trihatmodjo. All took active parts in May's general
election campaigning for Golkar. Vice President Try Sutrisno's
son Isfan Fajar Satryo is also on the list.
Golkar also includes artist Rano Karno, businessmen
Sudwikatmono, Pontjo Sutowo, Aburizal Bakrie, Fadel Muhammad,
Tanri Abeng and Edwin Kawilarang and youth leader Yorrys Th.
Raweyai as MPR representatives.
The faction of regional representatives includes all governors
of the country's 27 provinces and commanders of the 10 regional
military commands.
The ABRI faction includes ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Army
Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto, Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Arief
Kushariadi, Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Sutria Tubagus and
National Police Chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo.
The 100 MPR members from various groups include
representatives from the five recognized religions (Islam,
Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism and Buddhism), scientists,
artists, the media and the business community.
Islam will be represented by ulemas from the two largest
Moslem organizations -- Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah --
and also the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). However, both NU
chairman Abdurrahman Wahid and Muhammadiyah chairman Amien Rais
were not included.
Catholics will be represented by Victor Immanuel Tanja, while
Protestants by chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches
Soelarso Sopater. Hindus will be represented by I Putu Suranta
Sukreta and Buddhists by Oka Diphutra.
Artists will be represented by Ratno Timur and Rinto Harahap,
while Jakob Oetama and Sjamsul Basri will represent the media.
The business sector will be represented by Muhammad (Bob)
Hasan, Arifin Panigoro, Iman Taufiq, Anthony Salim of the Salim
Group and textile businessman of Texmaco Group Marimutu
Sinivasan.
University students will be represented by Fadli Zon. (imn)