Soeharto hints at readiness for another term
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has indicated that he might be ready to be reelected for another presidential term next year, a senior government official said.
The hint was given by Soeharto on Wednesday to Alwi Dahlan, head of the State Agency for Propagation of State Ideology Pancasila (BP7), after a meeting between them at Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.
"I am a fighter, and when a fighter is given a task, he will not flee, and will not be scared," Soeharto was quoted as saying by Alwi.
This is the first admission of willingness to be reelected by Soeharto since October last year when he told the ruling Golkar to reconsider his renomination for the 1998/2003 presidential term.
At a Golkar function at that time, Soeharto also said he was ready to play the pundit should he not be reelected.
Alwi said Wednesday that Soeharto regretted that some people mistakenly thought economic reform had to be followed by political reform.
Alwi quickly added that Soeharto did not explicitly say anything about being ready to lead the nation into the third millennium.
"It was not discussed. But he pointed out that as a fighter he would not turn away if he was assigned to a task," he said when asked whether they discussed Soeharto's daughter's comment about her father's possible retirement.
Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, better known as Mbak Tutut, said earlier last month that she and her brothers and sisters would prefer it if their father was not reelected for a seventh term in office next March, because then he would have less time for his family.
The 1,000-member People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will convene in March to elect a president and vice president. Soeharto's reelection is widely expected.
However, public concern over the health of the 76-year-old President grew when doctors ordered him to rest for about 10 days last month following a long overseas trip.
Analysts predict that the economic crisis will continue as long as foreign investors feel the question of national leadership succession is unanswered.
"There are comments that say the ongoing economic or monetary upheavals are related to recent political developments ... in facing the next general assembly," Soeharto said.
The President also stressed that he would not influence the MPR's selection of candidates for the vice presidential post.
"The President said the MPR has the right to collect names and check public opinion. He will not interfere in the election process," said Alwi.
MPR has 13 vice presidential candidates registered.
Six of them have a military background, including incumbent Vice President Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno; Minister of Information Gen. (ret) R. Hartono; State Minister of National Development Planning Vice Marshal (ret) Ginandjar Kartasasmita; Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung; and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto.
Born on July 7, 1948, Wiranto is the youngest of these six candidates. His career skyrocketed after serving as Soeharto's adjutant from 1989 to 1993. He served as Jakarta military commander before becoming chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command last year, a position he held until his appointment in June to replace Hartono.
"The President trusts Wiranto's loyalty and capability," a senior palace official recently said. (prb)