There must be more than one VP candidate: Academician
JAKARTA (JP): Political scientist Maswadi Rauf of the University of Indonesia has suggested that the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the elected president offer more than one vice presidential candidate, but asked them to show wisdom in choosing the right person.
"That's what the consultative meeting between the Assembly and the elected president is for. None of the parties should use force during the consultation," Maswadi said in a discussion Saturday.
He said the current procedures to elect a vice president did not need changing because so far the Assembly and the elected president have managed to accommodate each other.
"The elected president must be flexible and accommodate the MPR, while MPR members must also be flexible. Their statesmanship will be tested here," he said.
"Of course, the president must be able to cooperate with the vice president... in the future we can consider a package system where the MPR is expected to nominate both a president and vice president at one time," he said.
Under the current system, the People's Consultative Assembly elects a president, who is then expected to choose a vice president on consultation with the Assembly.
It has been a foregone conclusion that President Soeharto will be renominated and eventually reelected for another term of office. Speculation is now on who will be the next vice president.
Among those who have been mentioned as suitable 1998/2003 vice president material are incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Minister of Defense Edi Sudradjat.
Some people have suggested that the Assembly offer more than one vice presidential candidate, and that they be elected by voting.
No voting
On Friday, however, Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. M. Yunus Yosfiah said voting should not be used in next year's vice presidential election.
Instead, the people's representatives should elect the vice president by deliberation to reach consensus on only one name.
"I hope there will be no voting, although it is lawful, in the vice presidential election," he said after opening a Sociopolitical Course for ABRI officers at the Armed Forces Staff and Command School in Bandung, West Java.
"Our political system prefers consensus to voting in reaching an agreement," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
He said voting should only be used when it is "crucial".
Former vice president and current chairman of the presidential advisory team on state ideology Pancasila propagation (BP-7), Sudharmono, said Thursday that voting should be considered an alternative if the Assembly had more than one name each for the presidency and vice presidency.
Yunus, who is also chairman of the Armed Forces faction at the Assembly, said he believed all factions would prefer to establish consensus in the election. He also promised to do his best to persuade the other factions in the Assembly to agree on only one name.
"I have talked to leaders of other MPR factions and there is a tendency that they will elect the vice president through consensus." He said this was because "they are now more politically mature".
"You can see that there has been no 'walk-outs' in the MPR meeting sessions. They (legislators) are now more accommodating and communicative," said the three-star general.
He also said the Armed Fores headquarters had received letters, from individuals and groups, showing their support for certain candidates. (prb/amd/imn)