Vice presidency the strategic post
SURABAYA (JP): Politicians and observers alike agreed yesterday that the position of vice president would be strategic in ensuring the smooth succession of national leadership.
Suhardiman of the ruling Golkar, political scientists Yahya A. Muhaimin of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University and Susilo Utomo of the Semarang-based Diponegoro University, separately, agreed the next vice president would very likely step into the number one position should it become vacant.
In Surabaya, in front of hundreds of Golkar members, Suhardiman said he believed President Soeharto would be elected for the 1998-2003 term.
"However, this doesn't rule out the possibility of a succession taking place halfway. For instance, there's the possibility that Pak Harto..might want to rest, or with full consideration, resign," he said.
"This means the position of vice president would be very strategic. The next vice president has a great chance of becoming the next president," he said.
"During that period, Pak Harto could be expected to give greater opportunities to the vice president because he would be limited by his age," Suhardiman said.
President Soeharto is now 75. In July this year he received medical treatment in Germany but was later declared fit and healthy for his age.
Suhardiman named several figures he believed could become vice president. Two are civilians: State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Minister of Information/Golkar chairman Harmoko.
The other three have a military background: incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno, Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono and State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita.
Suhardiman said he believed it would be better if the next vice president came from the government's fold, rather than outside. "The question of whether that person is a civilian or has a military background is no longer a problem," he said.
Yahya agreed. He said there's nothing that stipulates the next vice president should have a military background.
Susilo Utomo predicted there would be lively competition among the would be vice presidents. "However, this competition would not necessarily cause political violence," he said.
Moslem leader Abdurrahman Wahid, however, criticized the ongoing discourse on national leadership succession as having lost substance and failed to touch on the question of the nation's agenda.
"What's more important is the question of limiting presidential terms and the mechanisms of presidential elections," he said. "Answers to the two questions are crucial for the nation's future."
"Rather than debating about whether Pak Harto will be re- elected, it would be better if we now discussed critically and openly the substance of national leadership succession," he said. (25/har/swe)