Vice presidency the strategic post

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)