11th March 2003:
“Five years is a timeframe that is just the right amount. It is not long enough for this government and this nation so solve all of its problems and yet it is not short enough that progress is impossible. Five years ago, we were facing an economic and financial crisis that threatened to undo the development and growth we have undertaken for three decades. In the past five years, not only did we manage to overcome this crisis, we have managed to reach a point where are we deemed to be one of the world’s foremost emerging economies.
I speak of this timeframe to highlight what is possible for this nation if it is willing to believe in itself, put in the effort and hard work and be willing to part ways with bad habits. For if in five years we are able to go from a nation in an economic and financial crisis to one of the world’s foremost emerging economies, imagine where we can be five years from now when our starting point is not one of economic crisis.”
In his inaugural address, President Try Sutrisno went on to thank the MPR for entrusting him with another term of government and promised to use his new mandate well; ending his speech by calling on the nation to “get back to work and get on with the work” just as he himself will get back to work and get on with the work.
When the MPR Delegates and those present had finished applauding and the President had returned to his seat, it was up to Chairman of the MPR Matori Abdul Djalil to bring the ceremony to a close and declare the MPR to be in recess until that afternoon when it will be electing the vice president.
At the MPR’s VIP Room, the President huddled with Vice President JB Sumarlin, Matori, Vice Chairman of the MPR Basofi Sudirman, Chairman of the PKPI’s MPR Delegation Harsudiono Hartas, and Chairman of the PPP’s MPR Delegation Zarkasih Nur.
“Ginandjar’s candidacy is just a ploy for the Chairwoman of the PKPB to have influence in the current term of government”, the President declared “She’s failed to be elected president so she’s now resorting for the next best thing: having a vice president that she has help to elect. If for whatever reason Ginandjar gets elected vice president, I might as well invite Tutut to come and sit at cabinet meetings.”
Harsudiono that as of that moment they have 421 votes for Sumarlin (All 215 votes from the PKPI, all 113 from ABRI and 93 votes from the PPP). The vote count from the Regional Delegates will need to be revised because even though the strong pro-Try supporters there are also voting for Sumarlin there are a lot of “We promised only to vote for Try but not Sumarlin” whether for religious or other reasons. The same goes with the vote count from the Group Delegates where the story from their hotel is that Ginandjar is trying to portray himself as a non-partisan.
“I think right now the priority in those two delegations is make sure that we're able to hold the strong Try-Sumarlin and those inclined towards Try-Sumarlin” Sumarlin said “The rest we just have to scrap and scrounge for because there isn’t much time left.”
The President had an impressed smile; deep in his heart, Sumarlin still wants the job.
“You may do as the Vice President has asked”, the President said to the others huddled around him.
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The first stop for the President after his inauguration was Halim Perdanakusuma Airport to see off his guests Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra, President of the Philippines Joseph Estrada, President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone, President of Vietnam Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Mekere Morauta and President of the Cambodian National Assembly Norodom Ranariddh as they headed out.
There was a photo-op and a joint press conference. When asked what he thought about Try’s re-election and inauguration, Estrada said that the next few years will be interesting as far as the way ASEAN navigates itself in the multipolar world was concerned. Not to be outdone, Thaksin said that ASEAN is already going to have a big year pointing to the ASEAN Summit which will be held in Indonesia and the APEC Summit which will be held in Thailand, both summits being held in October.
After the last aircraft had took off, the President disappeared into the Presidential Car with First Lady Tuti Setiawati and departed back for the Presidential Palace to help secure his vice president’s re-election.
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While the President went to Halim, Sumarlin and an entourage drove from the MPR Building to the Jakarta Stock Exchange Building near the Artha Graha Shopping Center There, with stockbrockers applauding him when he arrived, Sumarlin inspected the goings-on at the stock market.
Sumarlin’s entourage consisted of Minister of Economics and National Development Planning Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Minister of Finance Mar’ie Muhammad, Governor of BI Boediono, Junior Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto, and Head of the Stock Market Supervisory Agency (BAPEPAM) Noor Fuad.
But it would be Minister of Industry Siswono Yudohusodo and Minister of Trade Anthony Salim that got the most attention. The two already got laughs from the press following them when they asked for the data regarding the stock prices of publicly listed companies owned by Aburizal Bakrie, businessman and Ginandjar Kartasasmita’s main supporter from the Group Delegates, and then commenting loudly “His stock prices are higher than 5 years ago, he’s doing all right, what’s his grievance against the Government?”
As Sumarlin continued his walkabout, Siswono and Anthony got serious when they were asked about Ginandjar’s candidacy for vice presidency. Siswono spoke first.
“I don’t have any doubts about
Pak Ginandjar’s competence” said Siswono “But my doubts are with the main supporters of his candidacy. How do I know this is not just some scheme by those whose candidate was not elected to the presidency yesterday to try to have a stake in the government over the next 5 years by having a candidate elected to the vice presidency? We’re trying to do something different in the way business is done and it’s not perfect and there’s still a long way to go but the solution is not to go back to the old way of doing business. President Try said in his inaugural address we have to let go of bad habits if we want to move forward, I’d say this is one of those bad habits.”
“Suppose that business owners had close ties with political leaders and this helps their business along, and I’ll be the first to admit that my father was guilty of this”, Anthony began “For me, my thinking is what’s done is done but that at the same time, we have to consider such practices to be the past. We need to think innovatively and be more market-oriented. And if we want what’s in the past to remain the past, I think the right step is to make sure that it’s not just our President that’s re-elected but the Vice President as well.”
“Are you guys running for vice president or something?” asked Sumarlin, tapping Siswono and Anthony on their shoulders as he walked past behind them.
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The Group Delegates’ Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Amien Rais had lunch with Chairwoman of the PNI Megawati Soekarnoputri and Taufiq Kiemas. Ginandjar was really focusing on the fact that his father had been a member of the old PNI in his bid to appeal for Megawati’s support.
For all their effort to convince Megawati to throw the PNI’s support behind Ginandjar’s candidacy as vice president, Megawati was polite but did not commit to doing anything. Then having frustrated Ginandjar and Amien Rais with her non-commitment, Megawati would proceed to confuse the PNI Delegation by telling them that she “no longer has heart to tell them to abstain” but that she herself was going home to watch the end of the MPR General Session on television.
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There was indeed not much time to lobby and count for votes. Ginandjar and Amien Rais only had time to return to their hotel when they already had to hop on their bus and head to the MPR Building.
With 998 MPR Delegates now gathered (other than Megawati, Amirul Isnaeni from the ABRI Delegation was still in hospital and had not forced himself out of bed to vote as in the Presidential Elections), Matori opened the MPR Session. He then very briskly and efficiently announced the two vice presidential candidates’ and, having determined that there were no further candidates, instructed for the voting to go ahead.
As the voting got underway, Harsudiono and Edi Sudrajat looked around at the various delegations as though trying to count with their eyes which MPR Delegate might be voting for which candidate. After a while they gave up and sat down.
“It’s all about how many will vote for Sumarlin after they have voted for Try now”, Harsudiono said.
Chairwoman of the PKPB Tutut Soeharto watched proceedings. She looked a lot calmer than when her name was on the ballot but nevertheless looked on with interest at what was going on.
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As the count began, the President paced about nervously at the Presidential Palace. He was still in his suit and tie just at First Lady Tuti Setiawati was still in her
kebaya and was having her make up retouched. They still had an event to attend later that night; the inauguration of the vice president.
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Former Vice President Sudharmono was expressionless as the count proceeded. After attending the President’s inauguration earlier in the day, he was back again to see if his protégé would be able to rise to the vice presidency the way he did.
The room was breathless. Unlike the Presidential Elections, where there was a gap in the votes gained by the President, Tutut and the abstentions, the Vice Presidential Elections was a tight race. When Ginandjar’s votes gathered momentum, Sumarlin’s would catch up. When Sumarlin’s votes gathered momentum, Ginandjar’s would give a good chase.
Ginandjar was fidgeting. He had been Head of the BKPM, Junior Minister of Increasing Consumption of Domestically Produced Goods, Minister of Mining and Energy, Minister of National Development Planning, Minister of Information, Post, and Telecommunications, and Minister of Foreign Affairs…the time had come for the next step.
Next to Ginandjar, Aburizal Bakrie was keeping a tally and noting how many votes Ginandjar had gotten.
“Will you look at that”, Aburizal said impressed “402 votes and counting, you just got more votes than Tutut Soeharto's best performance in the Presidential Elections.”
But Sumarlin’s votes began to break away again and this time, Ginandjar’s votes began to struggle to keep up. And just as Ginandjar got a nice streak of votes going…
“The count is over!” declared the counter.
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At the Vice Presidential Palace, Sumarlin had also kept a tally, carefully noting how many votes he had gotten after a batch of 5, 10, 15 and so on. When the vote counting was finished, Sumarlin was quick to note down how many votes he got. After a deep breath, he handed his tally over to Second Lady Sudarmi Sumarlin who looked at it briefly and then gave her husband a big hug.
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The votes were brought up to Matori and he studied it as he waited for the MPR Delegates to silent themselves.
“The votes have been counted, tallied and confirmed to be correct by the scrutineers”, Matori announced “The results are as follows…”
A smile appeared on Matori’s face.
“First and foremost, I’m happy to announce that there are no abstentions”, he said.
At which point the room broke into universal applause and cheers after the abstentions in the Presidential Elections. The PNI delegations looked abashed as people from the PKPI and the PKPB delegations walked over to shake their hands. Matori waited until the room was quiet again.
“And now for the results”, Matori said “With 456 votes, Ir. Mshl. (Ret.) Ginandjar Kartasasmita.”
There was a collective gasp by the MPR at the amount of votes Ginandjar had gotten before it broke into an impressed applause. Chairman of the PKPB’s MPR Delegation Prabowo Subianto wondered whether the PKPB should have nominated Ginandjar instead. Ginandjar himself stood in his seat and bowed in the direction of the applause.
Sudharmono’s disappointment for his protégé was somewhat cushioned when hearing the amount of votes he got. He was certain that this would not be Ginandjar’s end...
“With 542 votes, Prof. Drs. JB Sumarlin M.A., Ph.D,”, declared Matori to more applause this time led by the PKPI delegation “As such Prof. Drs. JB Sumarlin M.A., Ph.D has gained a majority of the votes in the MPR.”
Now comes the big moment.
“And now, in accordance with the duties entrusted to the MPR in our Constitution”, Matori began “I hereby declare Prof. Drs. JB Sumarlin M.A., Ph.D elected Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia for the term 2003-2008!”
The MPR moved quickly to pass the Sixth MPR Resolution of 2003 Regarding The Appointment of the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia which formally acknowledges the Vice President’s re-election and stipulates that his term will begin that very day.
The MPR broke up again for just one final recess and its delegates arrived back at their hotels just in time for Maghrib Prayer followed by dinner and departure back for the MPR Building for Sumarlin’s inauguration. By the time they had arrived back at the MPR Building, a sense of relief was dawning on the MPR Delegates because the MPR General Session was coming to an end, regardless of who they had supported in the Presidential Elections. Setting time aside for a short television interview, Vice Chairman of the MPR Hartono said that it had been “a hectic 11 days” for everybody.
It was primetime television time when the President once again made his entrance into the MPR Building. Much as his own inauguration this morning, Matori walked alongside him. The attention and the applause, however, was directed behind them. There were Basofi, Hartono and the other Vice Chairmen of the MPR Nyoman Suwisma, Alex Litaay, Mario Carrascalao, and Edwin Soeryadjaya and walking in the middle of them was Sumarlin nodding and waving at the applause coming his way.
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When the President arrived back at the Presidential Palace, the Palace’s television screens were still playing news coverage of Sumarlin’s inauguration, the moment he took his oath of office for the second time as vice president, highlights from his inaugural address, and the moment Matori brought the 2003 MPR General Session to a close with the bang of a gavel.
“Is he already here?” the President asked when he saw Military Secretary Saurip Kadi.
“He is, Mr. President”, replied Saurip.
The President went to a room in the Presidential Palace where his guest was waiting. When he appeared at the door, his guest, for all his elderly infirmities, rose up and gave a salute.
“I congratulate you and the Vice President on your respective re-elections and wish the best for the both of you in the next 5 years”, said Former Commander of ABRI Benny Moerdani.
“
Pak Benny, please have a seat…you don’t have to stand up to greet me”, the President said.
The two talked about each other’s health before getting to the point of the matter. Benny said that while the President attended Sumarlin’s inauguration, Chief of BAKIN Ari Sudewo had kept him company to brief him about the President’s “concerns” when it comes to strategical matters.
“What do you think,
Pak Benny?” asked the President.
“Your summary of Indonesia’s strategic dilemma is correct, Mr. President” Benny said “China is the main concern here; its goal of increasing its influence in Southeast Asia clashes with our desire to be more assertive and take a more obvious leadership role in the region. And yet at the same time, you feel unsafe turning your back on Australia given your run-ins with them recently.”
“I don’t have a problem with the Aussies”, the President “I just don’t know what else I can do to convince them that we’re not a threat.”
“Well, Mr. President, you’re buying weapons left and right from to the point that the next 2-3 years are looking like weapons harvest”, Benny said “Would you consider suspending your weapons procurement?”
The President was silent.
“I thought so” Benny said “What we can do in addition of thinking how we can convince people we’re not a threat is also consider how they can be threat to us. The Aussies and the Chinese have figured out they need each other economically. Australia needs a market for its coal, China’s an emerging economy with a big energy demand. When they figure out they have certain common geopolitical interests with each other, who you think’s going to suffer from that?”
“You’re saying “when” not “if””, the President replied.
“Our economy’s going to get bigger, we’re going to strengthen ABRI, we’re going to be more assertive”, Benny explained “That means we’ll be a bigger pain in the ass for China and Australia gets more anxious. How much longer before they realize that the thing that needs to get out of the way if China wants to increase in influence in Southeast Asia and the thing on Australia’s doorstep that’s continually strengthening its military are one and the same?”
The President nodded in agreement at this.
“Did the Chief of BAKIN also talk about…” the President began and then trailed off.
“That the OPM and GAM are on the move again? Yes, he did”, Benny replied.
“What do you make of that?” asked the President.
“That the OPM are hiding somewhere in the vastness of Oceania and raising funds…that the GAM are being trained by the Libyans again…” Benny said almost thinking to himself “But I am surprised you don’t have much on the FRETILIN’s activities.”
“Not much indeed, that’s part of the reason why I wanted diplomatic relations with Portugal, so we can set up an embassy in Lisbon and start having surveillance of their activities in Portugal and in Lusophonic Africa”, said the President “They still have a presence in East Timor of course. They have been dormant and have not done anything out of the ordinary but they haven’t come down from the mountains yet to surrender and I guess I’ve just let things…be.”
“I would keep an extra eye on FRETILIN, Mr. President. While you are aware of their presence here in Indonesia, pay close attention to them, perhaps their movements will tell you something.” ” said Benny “They’re dormant here in this archipelago but not out there, I can assure you. Jose Ramos Horta runs a government-in-exile in New Zealand and you’ve exiled Xanana Gusmao to South Africa in 1999 but he now roams around freely at the behest of Nelson Mandela."
The President looked at the floor in front of him.
“What must I do to handle China and Australia?” asked the President “And how much longer will the separatist movements be dormant given that the intelligence that they are moving and preparing something?”
Benny looked at the President.
“Such are the riddles which you must solve, Mr. President, but the very least you are asking the right questions” Benny said “As they say, uneasy is the head that wears a crown."
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And that’s it for the MPR General Session for another 5 years, ladies and gents. It took about 3-4 months to cover these 11 days but the next chapters should begin flow faster again.
We have Siswono and Anthony Salim acting as Sumarlin’s “bodyguards” here. In a way they symbolize the presence of “Indigenous Indonesian” and “Chinese Indonesian” businessmen in Try’s government.
Anthony Salim being someone who prefers to establish competitive businesses instead of using close relationships with those in power for business survival like his father is actually based on OTL (
https://www.google.co.id/books/edit...suharto+children&pg=PA114&printsec=frontcover check out the final line of p.113 and the first paragraph of p.114)
I wanted to have Ginandjar to have his moment by performing competitively against Sumarlin. He’s definitely one guy that I’m surprised has not taken the next step to the presidency or VP’s position based on his extensive experience.
I considered a lot of potential VPs for Try so much so that I begin to wonder if this is what presidential candidates feel like when choosing their VP candidate. Other than Sumarlin, I considered Ginandjar, Wismoyo, Harmoko, Edi Sudrajat, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Siswono Yudohusodo, Matori Abdul Djalil, and Meutia Hatta before returning to Sumarlin.
And that's my last chapter for the year, ladies and gents.
