The ruling Golkar party has nominated two of President Suharto's children as candidates for the People's Consultative Assembly - the country's upper house responsible for electing the president.
The head of Golkar's research and development department, Dien Syamsuddin, was yesterday quoted by the Jakarta Post outlining the list of candidates for the 500-seat lower house, or House of Representatives, and the 1,000-seat upper house.
He said the list for the upper house included Mr Suharto's eldest daughter Siti 'Tutut' Hardianti Rukmana and his son Bambang Trihatmodjo.
All three political parties have to submit lists of candidates by next Monday, which will then be scrutinised by the Interior Ministry. Elections for the House of Representatives are to be held in mid-1997. Mr Syamsuddin said: 'We include all elements of society in our list of prospective legislators.' The mainly rubber-stamp upper house is widely expected to re-appoint Mr Suharto when it meets again in 1998. It comprises the 500 members of the House of Representatives and 500 presidential appointees.
Mr Syamsuddin also revealed the Golkar list includes Isfan Fajar Satryo, the son of Vice-President Try Sutrisno.
If the move goes ahead, it will be the furthest any of Mr Suharto's children has ventured into politics.
