DATE=9/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA POLITICS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-254126
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesian President B-J Habibie has defended
his handling of the crisis in East Timor and blamed
Australia for blowing the problem out of proportion.
As VOA's Kyle King reports from Jakarta, the crisis
has forced Mr. Habibie into a fight for his political
life.
TEXT: Mr. Habibie says Indonesia will respect the
results of the U-N organized independence referendum
in East Timor, despite what he called discrepancies in
the vote.
But in a lengthy address to Parliament, he said
Indonesia was disappointed with Australia's behavior.
The president described the attitude of Australia as
one of overreaction. He accused the Australian
government of illegally intervening in Indonesia's
internal affairs.
Australia was once the only country to recognize
Indonesia's claim over East Timor, but the crisis has
strained relations. Defense ties have been cut, and
Australian troops are now leading the U-N mandated
peacekeeping force sent to end the violence by pro-
Jakarta militias in East Timor.
// rest opt //
Analysts say Mr. Habibie's comments were partly aimed
at rescuing his chances of being selected as the
country's president when the National Assembly meets
in November. The ruling Golkar party has not yet
announced who its candidate will be.
The crisis has fueled speculation that General
Wiranto, the head of Indonesia's politically
influential armed forces, may seek the job. But
Jakarta Post managing editor Endy Bayuni says the
general has also been hurt by events in East Timor.
// Endy Bayuni act //
He (Wiranto) will have a lot of problems if he runs
for president, many of the things that have happened,
the violence not just in East Timor but in Ache, in
Ambon, even Jakarta, the shooting of students all
happened during the time Wiranto was in charge of the
security of the nation. So he will have that
disadvantage, and I'm sure many of his opponents would
only be too happy to highlight the failures of
Wiranto.
// end act //
Other speculation surrounding the presidential race
has centered on Megawatti Sukarnoputri, whose
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle won the most
seats in the last elections.
But analysts, like Salim Said, say Mrs. Megawatti has
so far failed to win over enough supporters in the
national assembly to insure a victory in November.
// Salim Act //
On the one hand Mr. Habibie has a lot of problems, but
then if Mrs. Megawatti can not convince people to
support her, then there is a possibility that Mr.
Habibie can become president, which I call a president
by default, not by design.
// end act //
Analysts say it is still too early to tell how Mr.
Habibie's address to parliament will affect his
chances in the presidential race. They say, he has
been badly damaged by a series of problems, including
the so-called Bank Bali scandal. But, analysts point
out many things can still happen between now and
November. (signed)
NEB/KBK/PLM
21-Sep-1999 06:31 AM EDT (21-Sep-1999 1031 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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