Students join poll on presidency

Students join poll on presidency

YOGYAKARTA (JP): More than 9,500 students from Gadjah Mada
University voted Thursday on whether they wished to see the
renomination of President Soeharto for another term.

To the disappointment of a horde of waiting reporters and
students the organizers canceled yesterday's planned announcement
of the result twice.

Following discussions behind closed doors, two of the
organizers -- Haryo Setyoko and Ridaya La Ode Ngkowe -- said the
cancellation was because they wanted to submit the result to the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) first.

The country's supreme legislative body will convene next March
and elect the next president and vice president.

Haryo and La Ode refused to explain the cancellation of the
announcement.

"There's been no intervention (by outside parties). We just
want to deliver the result to the MPR first," Haryo said.

The poll, in which 9,538 students -- or one third of the
university's population -- cast ballots, also asked respondents
whether they were in favor of a limitation on the number of terms
any president could serve.

Gadjah Mada University students are renowned for their
initiative in holding surveys and votes.

Earlier this year, for instance, they held a poll whose result
named Amien Rais, the chairman of the Muhammadiyah Moslem
organization as the man of the year. (23/swe)