Veterans legion renominates Soeharto

Veterans legion renominates Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): The 850,000-strong Legion of Indonesian
Veterans, which is affiliated to the ruling Golkar party, will
renominate Soeharto in the 1998 presidential election.

Legion chief Achmad Tahir said yesterday that Soeharto, who
has ruled the republic for almost 30 years, has statesmanlike
qualities no other Indonesian has.

"We are aware many people in the street claim they have the
ability. But we have only one candidate, and won't experiment,"
Tahir told journalists after meeting with the President.

Soeharto smiled and thanked the legion for trusting him to
lead Indonesia beyond 1998 but insisted that the nation should
strengthen the leadership succession system instead of focusing
on who will become the next President, according to Tahir.

"And then I replied, 'Yes, you are right sir, but I believe
it's equally important who the man behind the gun is,'" Tahir
laughed. He added that Soeharto looked "fresh".

The legion is only one of about 20 organizations affiliated to
Golkar which have publicly announced their support for Soeharto's
renomination in the 1998 presidential race.

State Minister of Population Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and
Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo have also indicated
their support.

When asked if Golkar could have another candidate, Tahir
replied, "Let's see if they have the courage to do so."

The legion, which boasts 850,258 members, is also determined
to help Golkar win the 1997 general election.

Tahir, a retired lieutenant general, said the legion members
and their relatives will contribute up to 13,000 votes to Golkar,
in which Soeharto is chief of the board of patrons.

President Soeharto promised yesterday to provide 300 modest
houses for legion members across Indonesia. Earlier, Soeharto had
built 2,000 houses so that more than half of the physically
disabled veterans now have houses, Tahir said.

Meanwhile, the ongoing campaign to get Megawati Soekarnoputri,
chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), into the 1998
presidential race also gathered momentum.

PDI politicians Sabam Sirait, Sophan Sophiaan and Royani
Aminullah yesterday announced their backing for Megawati's
canditature.

Three legislators and numerous activists have thrown their
weight behind the eldest daughter of the late president Sukarno.

According to Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a PDI legislator and
ardent supporter, support was also pouring in from the outer
islands, notably Sumatra.

"So far, I haven't heard of a PDI activist who wants to see
anyone other than Megawati become the future President," he told
The Jakarta Post.

Royani, whose constituency is South Kalimantan, said he would
encourage party activists in that province.

"I believe she is right for the job. I will go back to
Kalimantan and get fellow activists to rally behind her," he
said. (pan)

Photo -- Page 2