Wiranto gets thumbs down for his VP nomination: Experts

By Novan Imam Santosa

JAKARTA (JP): Observers gave a thumbs down to Golkar's nomination of Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto as a vice presidential candidate, saying he would be more of a liability than an advantage to his running mate.

They noted that as chief of the military, which is currently facing a tremendous credibility problem, Wiranto's selection to the second highest executive post would not breed national or international confidence.

"Wiranto's nomination will only provide liabilities rather than advantages to the presidential candidates," political analyst A.S. Hikam told The Jakarta Post.

Hikam argued that the next president and vice president should focus on repairing the nation's battered economic and political state. As such, regaining confidence was a fundamental necessity.

"We have to acquire international trust by nominating an acceptable person for the vice presidency," he said.

Golkar Party chief Akbar Tanjung has said that he has approached Gen. Wiranto about becoming incumbent B.J. Habibie's running mate.

Akbar said it was Habibie himself who chose Wiranto. However Wiranto has not publicly accepted or rejected the nomination.

Hikam described Habibie's selection as a desperate attempt to win support from the military which has 38 seats in the People's Consultative Assembly.

"Other presidential candidates, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid, are unlikely to take Wiranto as their vice president," he said.

"Should we have to choose a military personnel for the vice president, it's better to have someone who is more acceptable to the international community," said Hikam, citing National Resilience Institute governor Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar and TNI Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as qualified candidates.

Hikam remarked that the reputation of a vice presidential candidate should not be linked to high profile cases such as the Trisakti and Semanggi shootings, East Timor or even related to Soeharto.

He further questioned Wiranto's political prowess, contending that the TNI chief may only command authority if he maintains his current post.

Should Gen. Wiranto run or be elected vice president, he would most likely have to resign his post.

"Once he steps down, he no longer has the military power," he stated further, referring to widely circulated rumors that Wiranto might step down on Oct. 5.

Political analyst Arbi Sanit supported Hikam's view, saying Wiranto's nomination as vice president would create burdens for his running mate.

"Both Habibie and Wiranto each have problems in gaining public trust," Arbi said.

Each candidate is a burden to the other and they don't have sufficient support from the Indonesian public, he added.

However, Arbi admitted that Habibie gained some notoriety, at least in the international forum, by allowing East Timor to hold a ballot.

Nevertheless, in Arbi's opinion the Habibie-Wiranto combination was likely to falter and receive little support from other political elements.