Soeharto will be 77

The fact that President Soeharto has found it appropriate to remind Indonesians that he will be 77 years old in 1998 reveals his perceptive nature. It was President Soeharto himself who said that he now belongs among the elderly of the Indonesian population.

The question is whether at that advanced age he will still be given the People's Consultative Assembly's mandate to lead the nation for another five-year term, 1998-2003. Most politicians and observers are still putting their bets on Soeharto. Not a few of them are of the opinion that at present no national leader exists who is acceptable and capable of replacing him.

Such an opinion may be correct. However, President Soeharto's remark that this age factor must be kept in mind indicates his open stance with respect to the imminent interests of the nation and the country.

The general opinion is although the Assembly has the constitutional authority to appoint the national leadership, the actual process is not that simple. It appears that the Assembly, with its 1,000 members, faces a number of constraints. Many factors affect the effectiveness of its constitutional functions.

Whether or not President Soeharto's remarks will have an impact on the 1998 Assembly's general session depends a good deal on developments in the existing political infrastructure. Of course, President Soeharto's personal role and authority will be of the greatest importance.

We only hope that, whatever the final impact and outcome of these developments may be, all parties concerned will maintain their commitment to first and foremost serve the future interests of this nation and this county.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta