Soeharto still irreplaceable: Political scientist
Soeharto still irreplaceable: Political scientist
SEMARANG (JP): President Soeharto is irreplaceable as the figure responsible for uniting Indonesia and should therefore be re-elected when his current term ends in 1998, a political scholar says.
"The present social conditions of the country are precarious to the nation's unity, given the conflicts between various interest groups," Soegito Soedradjat of the University of Diponegoro said yesterday. "Soeharto's leadership is still needed by the nation."
Soegito's remarks came after another political scientist last week predicted that the 73-year-old incumbent would likely stay in power beyond 1998, when his current sixth five-year term ends.
Riswandha Imawan of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University based his predictions on the conflicts between various interest groups jockeying for positions ahead of the 1998 presidential election. Three years prior to the election and the situation has almost intensified to the point of ruling out any presidential succession, Riswandha argued.
Soegito said yesterday that Indonesia still cannot find a figure as capable as President Soeharto to unite the nation. "That's why we should ask the President to continue leading the nation after 1998. That is, of course, if he's willing."
He also doubted the likelihood of finding a leader with the wisdom of President Soeharto. "What the nation needs to do now is groom various figures to obtain leadership qualities and wisdom, equal, or at least close, to those possessed by Soeharto."
If the leadership goes to someone of a lower caliber, Indonesia could be doomed to follow the same paths of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union took and risk disintegration. "Of course, nobody wants that to happen in Indonesia," he said.
Interests
Soegito said that most of today's leaders in Indonesia still think only of the interests of their own group or region. None of them have shown an interest in thinking in terms of the entire nation, a key feature of the way Soeharto has been leading the country.
Barring any health problems, he believes that Soeharto's love for the country will compel him once again to remain in power.
Soeharto has been elected six times unopposed since 1968.
Talk of his succession in the People's Consultative Assembly was rife following his reappointment in the 1993 elections, with some even suggesting that the President might decide to step down midway through his current term.
The debate subsided after Golkar, the ruling political group, said that any talks of succession should be postponed until some time closer to 1998. The President himself has stayed out of the debate and has not revealed his intentions publicly. (har/emb)