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Technology Stocks : INDONESIA'S PT TELECOM(TLK) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rational who wrote (210)	2/3/1998 12:42:00 PM
From: tom	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 947

It is true that Suharto has not specifically nominated Habbibie as VP but he has hinted strongly and sources close to the President indicate that this is, currently, his wish. As you know, Suharto is an extremely shrewd leader and he would not hint at nomination of Habbibie unless is was tactically correct to do so. A number of events have happened since Suharto's hint that make me think about his motives. Firstly, the arrest of the prominent Chinese businessman and public criticizer of Habbibie, Sofyan Wanandi, on terrorism charges strikes me as a ploy to shut the Chinese up until after the election (as well as portray the Chinese as the cause of all evil). They will probably take the hint. Secondly, some second line generals (eg Prabowo) know that Habbibie will need them to get support for his VP position and so they feel they have a stronger power position with Habbibie as VP. Suharto knows that by blaming the Chinese and dividing the army he strengthens his own position. Maybe this is just tactical and he will choose another candidate when the time comes but he has not shown any sign yet of pursuing rational (from our perspective) policies so far.

To: Rational who wrote (210)	2/18/1998 3:56:00 AM
From: tom	Respond to of 947

By Ian MacKenzie JAKARTA, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Indonesia's controversial Research and Technology Minister Jusuf Habibie on Wednesday was assured of becoming the country's vice-president next month, as confusion swirled around proposals for a fixed currency exchange rate. The powerful armed forces (ABRI) gave Habibie, a 61-year-old German-trained aeronautical engineer, its official backing for the vice-presidential post at next month's meeting of the electoral People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). President Suharto is already the unanimous choice of the five factions making up the MPR, and is expected to be re-elected unopposed for a seventh five-year term. The troubled rupiah currency took a pounding last month when speculation on a Habibie candidacy gained strength. Habibie is known for advocating expensive projects and for his unorthodox economic theories, seen by the market as the last things Indonesia needs during its current economic crisis.