Sudomo tries to put lid on talk on vice-predidency

JAKARTA (JP): Two military observers tried yesterday to put a lid on discussion of the country's next vice president by suggesting that it wait until next year.

Lt. Gen. (ret) Achmad Tirtosudiro and retired Admiral Sudomo said yesterday that the appropriate venue for the discussion would be the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly in March next year. The body will elect a president, vice president and establish the state's broad policies.

"Selection of the country's new vice president will be decided then," said Achmad after attending a presentation of insignia and certificates to the founding fathers of the People's Security Council, which became the Armed Forces, at the Armed Forces headquarters.

Sudomo, also chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, said much the same but added that the new president would play an important role in selecting the next vice president.

"The position of vice president is still open for Indonesia's best children," he said. "Everybody, including (Army Chief of Staff) Gen. R. Hartono, has an opportunity to become our next vice president."

But earlier in the day, Sudomo said that Hartono was not qualified to be vice president because he lacked cabinet experience.

He also dismissed speculation that Hartono wanted to become vice president. "He is my former subordinate. I've checked, and he does not have that ambition," he said.

Hartono retires from the military today and will be installed tomorrow as the minister of information, replacing Harmoko. The appointment has sparked renewed speculation on the impending vice-presidential election.

Sudomo said Hartono had been given a cabinet position because Harmoko, who is also chairman of the ruling Golkar, would expected to soon become House speaker.

Harmoko is now the state minister of special assignments, a newly created position that he will hold until he takes charge of the House in October.

On the chances of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals' chairman, B.J. Habibie, becoming vice president, Achmad said it would mainly depend on the public and the president.

"If people and the elected president want Habibie as the next vice president, it would be abnormal to reject it," said Achmad, also an executive of the association.

He said that Habibie had had an opportunity to become vice president in 1993.

"However, Habibie refused to be nominated at that time," he said, adding that he did not know Habibie's current ambitions.

He denied allegations that the Moslem intellectuals association had become an influential pressure group bent on eliminating its "political enemies".

"We have no intention of eliminating people with different political stances," he said. (imn/05)