---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Indonesian Observer 23rd July 1999 Senior economist favors big parties involved in forming new cabinet Excerpt: "If we consider the state constitution, our president is not=20 directly chosen by the people. It will not be a problem if the president is=20 from the election winner. But the problem will emerge if the head of state i= s=20 a candidate from a losing party," Soemitro said. "As a state that adheres to=20 democratic values, we should take into account the people=92s aspirations wh= ich=20 have been reflected in the election," he added.=20 Soemitro, the father of former president Soeharto=92s son-in-law Prabowo=20 Subianto, said that although PDI Perjuangan did not take a majority vote in=20 the election, the 34% the party garnered in the election result is=20 "substantial enough" compared to the 22% of Golkar. "The difference of 12% i= s=20 not a small number," he said. The economic guru refrained from giving blatant support for Megawati=92s=20 presidential bid, but called on the nation and a new MPR to accept PDI=20 Perjuangan=92s victory as a political reality that should be taken into=20 consideration during the presidential election. "As a consequence of=20 democratic soul and spirit which we have planted in our conscience, the=20 people should be given chances to decide on the nation=92s fate," he asserte= d. JAKARTA (IO) =97 At least five major political parties should be given the=20 authority to set up a new cabinet if the elected president is not a candidat= e=20 from the June 7 election winner, says a senior analyst. "If the president elected by MPR [the People=92s Consultative Assembly], is = a=20 wise statesman he should normally allow leaders of winning parties to lead=20 the setting-up of a new government," senior economist Soemitro=20 Djojohadikusumo said here yesterday. He argued that in a democratic system, the ruling government should=20 accommodate the aspirations of the people, which have been reflected in the=20 result of the June 7 parliamentary election. Soemitro said such a proposal has become a reality in France, where Jacques=20 Chirac of the losing Gaulis Party was elected for the presidency, while=20 Lionel Jospin was selected as the prime minister from the Socialist Party=97= the=20 election winner. "They [the two parties] set up a cohabitation [in setting up the=20 government]," he added.=20 The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) won the electio= n=20 with almost 34% of the vote, but it=92s not enough for its populist oppositi= on=20 chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri to become the nation=92s next president. Under Indonesia=92s constitution, the president and vice president are elect= ed=20 by the 700-strong MPR, comprising 462 elected legislators, 38 military=20 appointees and 200 representatives from provinces and professional groups. The presidential election, scheduled for November, will likely be a two-hors= e=20 race between Megawati and incumbent President B.J. Habibie of the ruling=20 Golkar Party, which ran a distant second in the election with only 22% of th= e=20 vote. Many foreign and domestic analysts say Habibie has more chances than Megawat= i=20 to become the next president under the current political system. "If we consider the state constitution, our president is not directly chosen=20 by the people. It will not be a problem if the president is from the electio= n=20 winner. But the problem will emerge if the head of state is a candidate from=20 a losing party," Soemitro said. "As a state that adheres to democratic=20 values, we should take into account the people=92s aspirations which have be= en=20 reflected in the election," he added.=20 Soemitro, the father of former president Soeharto=92s son-in-law Prabowo=20 Subianto, said that although PDI Perjuangan did not take a majority vote in=20 the election, the 34% the party garnered in the election result is=20 "substantial enough" compared to the 22% of Golkar. "The difference of 12% is not a small number," he said. The economic guru refrained from giving blatant support for Megawati=92s=20 presidential bid, but called on the nation and a new MPR to accept PDI=20 Perjuangan=92s victory as a political reality that should be taken into=20 consideration during the presidential election.=20 "As a consequence of democratic soul and spirit which we have planted in our=20 conscience, the people should be given chances to decide on the nation=92s=20 fate," he asserted. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 23 Jul 1999 jam 10:16:52 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
