Try tipped for PKP presidential candidate: Edi

Try tipped for PKP presidential candidate: Edi

JAKARTA (JP): The Justice and Unity Party (PKP) may nominate
former vice president Try Sutrisno as presidential candidate for
the 1999/2004 period, chairman of the party, Edi Sudradjat, said
on Saturday.

Edi was quick to add, however, that PKP had yet to reach an
agreement on the issue, saying that the selection process of
candidates was still underway.

"We have heard some aspirations to nominate a figure who is
acceptable to all groups in the country," Edi said on the
sidelines of a PKP national congress here. He was answering a
question of whether PKP would name 63-year-old Try as its
presidential candidate.

Try, who was vice president to Soeharto from 1993 to 1998,
chairs the Armed Forces Veterans Association (PEPABRI) and is a
supporter of PKP. Edi, a former minister of defense and security
and a colleague of Try during their military career, is a member
of PEPABRI.

A group of veterans failed in their attempt to suggest the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) factions renominate Try as
vice president last year. Instead, the MPR unanimously named B.J.
Habibie the sole candidate for the vice presidency. Habibie then
took over from Soeharto, who resigned following relentless
student rallies in May last year.

Edi said a presidential candidate would need support from
other parties, not to mention the MPR which convenes in November
to elect a president and a vice president.

"We expect to bring our own candidate to the MPR General
Session, but if we fail to name him or her, we can just support
other parties' candidates," Edi was quoted by Antara as saying.

The PKP congress discussed, among other things, the party's
preparations for the elections, scheduled for June 7.

While most provincial offices expressed guarded optimism that
PKP would finish among the top five in their respective regions,
some reported violations committed by the bureaucracy.

"A subdistrict chief in Bandung told people who received funds
under the social safety net program that the money came from
Golkar," said West Java chief of PKP, Tjetje Padmadinata, himself
a former Golkar legislator.

His North Sumatra counterpart, Ansyah Nasution, complained
about a number of Cabinet ministers who allegedly traveled to the
province but used their trip to campaign for a particular party.
Most Cabinet ministers are Golkar members.

"They have misused state funds in the interest of their own
party," Ansyah said.

A government regulation issued recently bans bureaucrats from
holding executive posts in any political party.

U.S. trip

Meanwhile, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN),
Amien Rais, left for the United States on Saturday afternoon. He
is scheduled to talk with U.S. Vice President Al Gore about
present conditions in Indonesia.

"I will suggest to Al Gore that the U.S. administration exert
moral pressure on the Indonesian government to put an end to
several riots that have claimed many lives and caused material
losses," Rais said after inaugurating four PAN subbranches in
Bekasi, West Java, earlier in the day.

He denied that he requested the U.S. intervene in Indonesia's
internal affairs.

"It merely aims at preventing Indonesia from international
isolation," he said. He will be in the U.S. until Thursday.

He said he would also attend a discussion organized by foreign
diplomats and meet with senators, businesspeople and students
during his American trip.

When asked about the government announcement that 48 parties
were eligible to contest the polls, Amien said he feared it would
trigger conflict among various party supporters.

But Amien insisted that the polls must go on, unless more
violent conflicts broke out.

In Surabaya, East Java Governor Imam Utomo announced he would
reject an invitation to attend any party function other than
party anniversary celebrations.

"I will only attend a party anniversary celebration as a mere
guest, without having to address the attendees," Imam said as
quoted by Antara on Saturday. (amd)