Suharto Wins; Vice President Choice Defied

JAKARTA, Indonesia â€”  The national assembly Thursday unanimously reelected President Suharto, but an Indonesian general angrily protested the selection process for vice president in which a Suharto aide is favored.

The People’s Consultative Assembly reelected Suharto, the only presidential candidate, to a fifth five-year term. Suharto, 66, has led this nation of 170 million people since 1967. His reelection indicates that he is in firm control of the island republic and its 400,000-member armed forces.

The 1,000-member assembly, the nation’s highest policy-making body, meets every five years to choose the president and vice president and issue new guidelines for state policy.

State Secretary Sudharmono, one of Suharto’s most trusted aides, was expected to be elected vice president today, the 11th and final day of the assembly session. Sudharmono, 61, chairs the governing Golkar party.

Army Reported Opposed

Military sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said the army is opposed to Sudharmono’s nomination and wants the newly appointed armed forces commander, Gen. Try Sutrisno, 52, to fill the post.

The Muslim opposition United Development Party nominated its chairman, Jailani Naro, 59, for vice president.

Shortly after Suharto’s reelection, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Saleh of the government-nominated military faction sprang to the podium to charge that the selection process for vice president was unfairly and incorrectly carried out.

Saleh was shouted down and later taken away by fellow officers and Wang Suwandi, secretary general of the assembly.

Suharto Not Present

Later, the commander of the powerful National Security Agency, Gen. Benny Murdani, told reporters that Saleh’s statement did not represent the official view of the armed forces and that he was speaking for himself.

Suharto was not present during the session.

Suharto came to power after a 1965 Communist coup attempt in which six army generals were killed before the challenge was smashed by forces Suharto then led as commander of the Army Strategic Command.