---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesian President B.J. Habibie has withdrawn from the presidential race just hours after losing a confidence vote in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Wednesday morning. The ruling Golkar Party said it would field its chairman, Akbar Tanjung, as its presidential candidate to replace Habibie. CNN's Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa confirmed Indonesian armed forces chief, Gen. Wiranto, who withdrew earlier this week as Habibie's running mate, will now run as Tanjung's vice-presidential candidate. The appointment of Tanjung and Wiranto came just hours after Habibie lost a vote of confidence by the assembly -- an almost certain sign they would also have rejected him in Wednesday's vote for Indonesia's president. As a consequence, Habibie withdrew from the race leaving Golkar to find a replacement. The selection of Tanjung was not unexpected. As Golkar chairman he has a strong support base and has proved his popularity among legislators as recently as a week ago when he was overwhelmingly elected as speaker of the MPR. The appointment of Wiranto is more of a surprise it came within days of the general rejecting overtures from Habibie to be his running mate. Golkar officials were forced into an emergency session Wednesday to decide their candidates before the assembly sits later in the day to vote in a new president. ALSO Indonesian assembly rejects Habibie speech, OKs E. Timor independence vote Tanjung is expected to be a popular choice for lawmakers, but opposition frontrunner Megawati Sukarnoputri is also expected to poll well. Habibie had defended his 17-months in office in two separate speeches but lost in a landslide vote of no confidence. Another key contender in the presidential race is ailing Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid. Legislature endorses East Timor vote But while the MPR rejected Habibie's speech -- partly over his East Timor policies -- the legislative body endorsed the island territory's historic vote for independence Wednesday. "The People's Consultative Assembly respects the results of the ballot in East Timor without setting aside the fact the ... agreement (to hold the ballot) was done by the government without the permission from the House of Representatives," said the assembly. The decision was a formality after the assembly's 11 factions earlier agreed to ratify the result of the U.N.-run ballot. East Timor had been a Portuguese colony for centuries, until 1975 when Indonesia invaded as the Portuguese pulled out. Indonesia annexed the half-island territory in 1976, but many international bodies never recognized the annexation. Megawati appeals for votes Megawati appealed to lawmakers on Tuesday to elect her. "The nation's political elite must put the interest of the people first," Megawati told the Jakarta Post. "After all, who holds the sovereignty? The people or the MPR?" Many political observers have warned of an outbreak of violence if Habibie were to win over Megawati. More than 40,000 security personnel have been ordered to keep control in Jakarta during the election period. Since Habibie took over from his mentor Suharto last year, Indonesia has struggled with riots, ethnic violence and the worst economic crisis in 30 years. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 20 Oct 1999 jam 07:01:21 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
