Chairman rules, says councilor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A chairman of a party faction at the city
\ncouncil, or the party's chairman, are the ones authorized to
\nrequest a councilor to leave a council meeting, a councilor said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
M. Rodja of the United Development Party (PPP) faction was
\nresponding to a 'walk-out' by the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) members during the council's extraordinary plenary session
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
The session was held to hear Governor Surjadi Soedirdja's
\nspeech on the city's anniversary, attended by Minister of Home
\nAffairs Yogie S.M., former governors and other dignitaries.<\/p>\n
The unplanned gesture by 11 out of 13 PDI faction members was
\ndone out of solidarity with member Sri Umi Sutjipto. Faction
\nadvisor Ismunandar had said she was asked to leave the meeting by
\nthe Speaker's wife, S. Renyda Ritonga, over a \"personal\" rift.<\/p>\n
M. Rodja said if this was true she had no right to do so.<\/p>\n
\"It is the faction, or the party, that has the power over its
\nmembers. Even the council speaker, the Governor, or the Minister
\ncan't ask a councilor to leave the meeting,\" Rodja said, adding
\nhe was surprised to know of the action.<\/p>\n
\"I was chatting with PDI member Abdulgani on the absence of
\nhis colleagues, I didn't know whether their absence was official
\nor not.\"<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Ismunandar, also a Council Deputy, had said he was
\nrequested by a protocol staff member of the council to ask Sri
\nUmi to leave \"to avoid possible disturbance.\" The official had
\nsaid it was Renyda who requested Maya to leave.<\/p>\n
Sri Umi, better known as Maya, had refused, saying she had
\nevery right to be at the meeting. Renyda had denied telling Maya
\nto leave. Maya walked out only when other members left the hall.<\/p>\n
Reiterating an earlier statement by Council Speaker M.H.
\nRitonga, Rodja said yesterday it was fortunate that the Sunday
\nmeeting was not one in which a decision had to be reached. (ste)<\/p>",
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