Untimely talks on VP candidacy is unethical, Habibie says

Untimely talks on VP candidacy is unethical, Habibie says

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology B.J.
Habibie skirted the question of his possible candidacy as vice
president, saying yesterday it was unethical to talk about the
top two state posts before the general meeting of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) in March.

"It's not culturally Indonesian to disclose presidential and
vice presidential candidates before the general session of the
Assembly," Habibie, chairman of the Agency for the Assessment and
Application of Technology said yesterday.

Habibie, also chairman of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI), has often been cited as a possible
contender for the vice presidency.

Habibie dismissed remarks by ICMI deputy chairman Achmad
Tirtosudiro yesterday who said Habibie had a good opportunity of
becoming the next vice president.

Achmad said last week that this was the second time Habibie
has had an opportunity to become vice president. According to
Achmad the first occasion came in 1993, but Habibie rejected the
offer because he felt he was not ready for the post.

"I've never told Pak Achmad anything like that," Habibie said.

The 1,000-member MPR will convene next March to elect a
president and vice president and draw up the State Policy
Guidelines.

Some political observers believe Habibie's strong bargaining
position increased after he was appointed coordinator of Golkar's
board of patrons earlier this month for the 1997/1998 period.

Habibie, however, denied the benefit saying that there was
nothing special with his appointment.

"The post is annually held in turn by deputies to the chief of
Golkar's board of patrons," he said.

He also dismissed speculation that a coordinator of Golkar's
board of patrons had superior control over Golkar's board of
executives.

Yusuf

Separately, a member of the National Commission on Human
Rights, Muladi, commented yesterday in Semarang, Central Java, on
reports that former minister of defense Gen. (ret) M. Yusuf had
also been touted as a candidate by the South Sulawesi chapter of
Eksponen '66.

Eksponen '66 is a group of student leaders and activists who
in 1966 helped topple the Old Order and establish the New Order
government under President Soeharto.

The group suggested that Yusuf accompany incumbent President
Soeharto as a state leadership duet.

"A Soeharto-Yusuf duet would be very solid," they said last
Friday.

Yusuf is the sole surviving witness of a trio, who carried the
letter in 1965 from then president Sukarno to then Armed Forces
commander Lt. Gen. Soeharto to take necessary action to ensure
the security and safety of the state which had come under threat
from a failed communist coup.

The other two, Gen. Basuki Rachmat and Gen. Amirmachmud, died
a few years ago.

Chairman of the organization's South Sulawesi chapter, Saleh
Bustami, said the organization had sent a proposal to MPR and the
South Sulawesi legislative council.

Muladi, rector of Diponegoro University in Semarang, said the
decision would mainly rest on Yusuf himself, whether he would be
willing to be nominated due to his age.

Yusuf is 69 years old.

Muladi said there were plenty of eligible candidates for the
vice presidency.

He named Habibie, incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno,
Minister of Information R. Hartono, Minister/State Secretary
Moerdiono, State Minister of Special Assignments Harmoko and
State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar
Kartasasmita.

But another Diponegoro University political scientist, Kahar
Badjuri, said Habibie and Hartono were the strongest contenders
for the country's second top position.

"Both Habibie and Hartono are qualified and are now very close
to the power center (Soeharto)," he said. (imn/har)