Voting sought in the election of national leaders

JAKARTA (JP): A fresh call was lodged yesterday for the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to introduce voting in the presidential and vice presidential elections.

Senior politician Jaelani Naro said yesterday that voting was the purest method for the election of national leaders according to the 1945 Constitution.

"After failing to execute the stipulation for many years under the New Order, we now need to educate people. Why should we wait to see the Assembly vote for a president and vice president?" said Naro who chaired the United Development Party from 1983 to 1988.

He said the practice could apply even if there was only one candidate for each post.

"Voting has traditionally been used to elect heads of villages and subdistricts, regents and governors. Don't be afraid of blank ballots if it applies in the presidential election," said Naro.

The 1,000-member Assembly will elect a president on March 9 and a vice president two days later.

Incumbent President Soeharto looks certain to serve another five-year term due to support from four out of the five factions in the Assembly. In contrast, the race for the vice presidency remains wide open.

In the past, the Assembly resolved to reach agreement on the national leadership duo, rather than cast ballots. The Assembly internal rule provides procedures for voting in case the five factions come to a deadlock.

A 1973 Assembly decree, which currently remains effective, stipulates that the vice president must be able to cooperate with the president.

By convention, a vice president is chosen after consultation with the elected president, which gives Soeharto the prerogative to choose his second in command.

Naro in 1988 tried to break the routine when he challenged the widely supported vice presidential candidate Sudharmono, but to no avail. Mounting pressure forced Naro to withdraw his bid.

Recalling his aborted campaign, Naro said yesterday that democracy had progressed a long way in the past 10 years, evident by the number of people who had the courage to stand in the vice presidential election.

"It's an encouraging development, although some of the candidates look reluctant to openly declare their candidacy," Naro said.

Former minister of environment and coordinating minister for economy, trade and finance Emil Salim was the last to announce his willingness to join the race for the second top post.

On Tuesday, the widow of former House Speaker Amir Machmud, Srie Amir Machmud, said she would gather support for the nomination of former Governor of Bank Indonesia Arifin Siregar.

The Assembly has so far received 14 motions on the vice presidential candidates from the public.

The nominees include incumbent Vice President Try Sutrisno, Minister of Information R. Hartono, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto. (amd)