Soeharto's renomination gets mixed responses

Soeharto's renomination gets mixed responses

JAKARTA (JP): The minority Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
welcomed yesterday President Soeharto's acceptance of his
nomination for another term by the ruling Golkar, while fellow
minority United Development Party cautiously deferred its
comments.

Fatimah Achmad, deputy chair of PDI, said Soeharto's clear
stance was needed in this time of economic volatility.

"President Soeharto's readiness is needed in such an
unfavorable condition," said Fatimah, who is also Deputy House
Speaker, as quoted by Antara. "At least now, the people and the
international society already know the presidential candidate."

PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum separately said that
Soeharto's decision was in response to Golkar's nomination only.
The President had yet to tell the other political parties his
stance, he pointed out.

Soeharto's decision meant that Golkar had settled its internal
problems, Ismail said.

"PPP will declare its presidential and vice presidential
candidates at the end of next month," he said.

The five factions in the 1,000-strong People's Consultative
Assembly will elect a president, vice president and endorse the
1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines in March. The two other
factions in the assembly are the Armed Forces (ABRI) and the
Regional Representatives, but these two are considered
traditional allies of Golkar and invariably support the dominant
faction.

"The Armed Forces headquarters has long considered
renominating President Soeharto," ABRI chief of sociopolitical
affairs, Lt. Gen. Yunus Yosfiah, said after an official visit to
the House of Representatives (DPR) yesterday.

"ABRI considers that Pak Harto is still the country's best son
for the presidency," he said.

Golkar first declared it was renominating Soeharto during its
leadership meeting last October. At that time Soeharto demurred,
suggesting Golkar recheck its stance with its members and
supporters nationwide.

Yesterday, three leaders of a coalition of Golkar, the Armed
Forces and the bureaucracy -- represented by Golkar chairman
Harmoko, Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. and ABRI Chief
Gen. Feisal Tanjung -- visited Soeharto to tell him their stance
remained unchanged.

Soeharto accepted the nomination yesterday.

"The majority of Indonesians still want Haj Muhammad Soeharto
to be president for the 1998/2003 term," Harmoko told reporters
at the House of Representatives. Harmoko is House Speaker.

Former vice president Sudharmono separately said that Soeharto
must have accepted because he was now convinced that the majority
of Indonesians supported him.

"He must have thought that his acceptance could stabilize the
Indonesian economy," he said.

"Hopefully, the international community will positively
respond to his decision, knowing that there is now political
certainty in the country's state leadership," he said.

Dissent

Political observer Maswadi Rauf from the University of
Indonesia predicted that the other factions at the MPR would
follow Golkar in its nomination of Soeharto.

"Despite his age, Pak Harto is still the strongest figure for
the presidency and has great support of the people," he said.

He dismissed speculation that President Soeharto accepted only
after he felt secure that the international community supported
him in exchange for his acquiescence to an International Monetary
Fund (IMF)-sponsored economic reform package for Indonesia.

"His (acceptance) is not from any green light from the
international community, in particular the United States," he
said, "But, Pak Harto has really won the people's support."

A dissenting voice, however, came from the secretary-general
of the National Commission on Human Rights, Baharuddin Lopa, who
said that Golkar's nomination of Soeharto meant that it had
failed to heed the aspiration of the majority of Indonesians.

"There should first be a national dialog on the presidency and
the vice presidency which could absorb aspirations from all
elements in society," he told reporters after addressing a
discussion on the impact of the economic crisis, held by the
Indonesian Catholic Students Movement (PMKRI) yesterday.

He said it was now difficult to say that the People's
Consultative Assembly represented the people, while unofficial
voices would never be recognized by the government.

"Both official and unofficial representative forces should sit
together to form a common perception on the matter," he said.

Vice president

Regarding the question on the vice presidency, none of the
party executives and observers interviewed yesterday concluded
that Golkar had a specific name in mind when it conveyed a set of
criteria for the post.

Harmoko, Yogie and Feisal suggested 29 criteria for the vice
presidency, which includes mastery on science, technology and
industry. This particular point has created speculation that
Golkar was referring to State Minister of Research and Technology
B.J. Habibie.

Lopa said the item on science and technology by no means
indicated certain names.

"It is not yet definite that Habibie will be the only eligible
person," he said, "Ultimately, the decision will rest on the
elected president."

Deputy House Speaker from the Armed Forces Syarwan Hamid said
the criteria could be met by either Habibie, State Minister of
National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita or
Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto.

Maswadi said the criteria could also be met by incumbent Try
Sutrisno, Harmoko, and Minister of Information R. Hartono.
(imn/09)