Soeharto reaffirms his election readiness
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto sailed through a four- question interview last night with leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly to formally affirm his readiness to be renominated.
Speaker of the Assembly Harmoko and his four deputies -- Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid of the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, Abdul Gafur of the dominant Golkar, Fatimah Achmad of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and Ismail Hasan Metareum of the United Development Party (PPP), questioned Soeharto at the State Palace.
The interview, as required by the Assembly Decree No. II/1973, was the last preliminary step before Soeharto's reelection, which will be held this morning. According to Harmoko, Soeharto would not attend the session.
The five MPR leaders were seated on one side of a table opposite Soeharto. A painting depicting a scene from the independence war hung on the wall near the leaders, with the inscription: "We shall not retreat even while facing death".
Like five years ago when Soeharto was about to be renominated to his sixth consecutive term, the 15-minute interview was closed to the media. They were allowed to enter the State Palace waiting room only after Soeharto left.
Soeharto was heard to have burst into laughter three times during the meeting, which began at 7 p.m.
Afterward, Harmoko held a media briefing, broadcast live by state-owned TVRI, to disclose the details of the interview.
Harmoko said he raised four questions with Soeharto which were answered in the affirmative by the President.
"We asked Saudara (brother) Haj Muhammad Soeharto whether it was true that the leaders of factions in the MPR had contacted (him as their) presidential candidate on Sunday," said Harmoko.
The leaders of the five factions in the Assembly asked the 76- year-old incumbent President on Sunday to lead the country for a seventh consecutive term.
"Do you agree with their renomination?" Harmoko questioned. Then he quoted Soeharto as replying: "Yes, I agree".
The third question was: "Will you be willing to implement the State Policy Guidelines and other decrees set by the People's Consultative Assembly?"
Soeharto responded: "Yes, I am willing.
The final question was: "On the even of your election as president and the holder of the MPR mandate for the 1998/2003 term of office, will you be willing to say your oath in accordance with Islamic teaching?".
According to Harmoko, again Soeharto said, "Yes, I am willing."
"With this (interview), the renomination of Soeharto as Indonesia's presidential candidate (is declared to have) met all requirements," Harmoko noted.
The five factions presented a number of supporting documents for Soeharto's candidacy, including police testimony of his good conduct, a collection of signatures of Assembly members who agree to nominate him, a proof of citizenship, health certificate and a statement of the candidate's loyalty to the 1945 Constitution and the state ideology of Pancasila.
Similar documents were also being prepared by the Assembly factions for their nomination of outgoing state minister of research and technology B.J. Habibie for the vice presidency.
Ismail said that all of the five factions will meet Soeharto later today to consult on the vice presidency. (prb/byg)