Susilo rules out affiliation to political party

Susilo rules out affiliation to political party

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denied on Friday earlier reports that he
would join the newly established Democratic Party as his
political vehicle to run for president in the coming election.

Susilo said he was committed to conducting his daily tasks as
a Cabinet minister who will be involved in all preparations for
the election, which is expected to take place in June 2004.

"I want to stress that I have not joined any formal political
organization yet because I wish to focus on my daily duties.

"Personally, I don't want to spoil my current job as a
coordinating minister, which is quite a heavy responsibility for
me, by participating in activities in a political party ... I'd
rather focus on my state duties, which are my top priority,"
Susilo told reporters after addressing a seminar held by the
Surabaya Institute of Technology here.

He refused to comment on an offer to lead the Democratic Party
in October 2002.

One of Democratic Party founders, Bambang W. Soeharto, who is
also a member of the National Commission on Human Rights and
former member of Golkar Party, claimed on Thursday that Susilo
was involved in the preparations of the new party.

According to Bambang, the party's backbone would comprise of
academicians and Muslim clerics from various Islamic boarding
schools. The party will be officially launched on May 12 with
Asman Budi Santoso, former University of Indonesia rector named
as chairman.

Bambang said during their congress in October, the party
executives considered offering the chair to Susilo.

Susilo, a retired Army general, was one of five candidates who
ran for vice president in the Special Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly in July last year.

The Assembly elected the new vice president after incumbent
Megawati Soekarnoputri was appointed President replacing
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who was dismissed due to his erratic
administration.

Aside from Susilo, the vice presidential candidates were
Minister of Transportation Agum Gumelar, former Golkar executive
Siswono Yudohusodo, Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung and
Hamzah Haz of the United Development Party (PPP). Hamzah came out
the winner, thanks in part to support from Megawati's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

"Many believe, especially my colleagues, that I failed because
I didn't have any political vehicle, which is necessary from the
ethical point of view to obtain certain political positions,"
Susilo recollected.

The Democratic Party could be the fourth new political party
launched this year. Another party led by former PDI Perjuangan
legislator Dimyati Hartono, the Indonesia -- Our Motherland Party
(PITA) is to be officially launched in a few weeks.

The PPP of Reform, a splinter group of Muslim-based PPP, was
launched in January and the Indonesian Islamic Party (PII) last
Friday.