Susilo, Kalla set to resign to join presidential election

Susilo, Kalla set to resign to join presidential election

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two senior ministers expressed their readiness to resign before
challenging incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri in the
direct presidential election as stipulated in a draft government
regulation.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare Jusuf Kalla, touted as the strongest contenders for
Megawati, said they would quit the Cabinet as soon as they were
formally named presidential hopefuls.

Susilo said he was among the ministers who supported the rules
of the game.

"If a party that is eligible to contest the presidential
election nominates me and I accept the nomination, I will resign
from the Cabinet," Susilo said.

"I will not wait for the President to issue a decree to
suspend me, I will leave the post voluntarily," Susilo said.

Kalla responded in the same manner, saying leaving the Cabinet
was the most appropriate thing to do before he challenges the
President.

"That is what I would do. Ministers who wish to run for
president should leave the Cabinet," he remarked.

As the presidential election draws near, the government is
drafting a regulation imposed on the president, vice president
and Cabinet ministers in connection with their participation in
the elections.

The present Cabinet consists of figures from different
political parties, five of whom have expressed interest in
contesting the presidential election, including President
Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz who will be nominated by
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the
United Development Party (PPP) respectively.

Several parties, including the Democratic Party, have
expressed their intention to support Susilo as presidential
aspirant, while Kalla is among seven candidates from Golkar
Party.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra
looks certain to run for president as the candidate of the
Crescent Star Party (PBB).

Then cabinet ministers Akbar Tandjung and Hamzah Haz resigned
to focus on their party jobs prior to the general election in
1999.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Monday the
regulation would stipulate that ministers be suspended as soon as
the General Elections Commission (KPU) declared them presidential
hopefuls on May 19.

He said there would be a presidential decree to suspend the
ministers and to appoint interim officials to replace them.

The landmark direct presidential election is scheduled to take
place on July 5. Only parties or a group of parties that win 3
percent of the vote in the April 5 general election are allowed
to nominate presidential candidates.

The draft regulation will also arrange for the President, Vice
President and ministers to take time off during the campaign
period.

The government officials are not allowed to use state
facilities while campaigning for their respective political
parties.

;JP;DJA;
ANPAa..r..
Polls-Megawati-resign
Can Mega be an exception?
JP/2/BOX

Can Mega be an exception?

In a bid to reduce its campaign budget, the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is proposing that its
chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri be allowed to campaign while
conducting state duties.

Insisting that the President should not take leave during the
20-day campaign period as it will adversely affect decision
making in state affairs, the party said Megawati could insert her
campaign program into her working visits.

"There will be problems if the President takes leave,
therefore she could take one or two hours out of her working
visit for campaigning," PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono
Anung said after the party's weekly meeting on Tuesday.

He said the party would cover Megawati's expenses during the
two hours, but was uncertain whether the party would pay for the
President's travel expenses.

The government has said the state will only provide security
from presidential details for Megawati and Vice President Hamzah
Haz during their campaigns.

Pramono said the party was not trying to abuse the state
facilities for the party's interests, saying it would offer to
share the burden with the government.-- JP