Council head says no deal with PDI-P<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Elected City Council Speaker Edy Waluyo insisted
\non Monday that neither himself nor his faction had made any deal
\nwith any party for his reelection, including the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
\"There is no bargain with PDI Perjuangan. Moreover, who knows
\nwhether the votes for my nomination were from that party?\" Edy,
\nfrom the military\/police faction and the previous city council
\nspeaker, told reporters after being sworn in with his three
\ndeputy speakers.<\/p>\n
The military major general also refuted the widespread
\naccusation that his faction, which did not vote in the June
\ngeneral election, had bribed certain people, including
\ncouncilors, to pave the way for him to win last week's vote.<\/p>\n
\"It's a silly rumor. I was elected by the floor,\" Edi said.<\/p>\n
Led by Jakarta High Court chief judge, I Gede Sudarta, the
\nswearing in ceremony took place during a plenary session at City
\nCouncil.<\/p>\n
In the vote for speaker last Monday, Edy secured 40 votes
\nwhile his deputies Djafar Badjeber from the United Development
\nParty (PPP), Tarmidi Suhardjo from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and M. Suwardi from the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN) got 30 votes, nine votes and no
\nvotes respectively.<\/p>\n
The result immediately sparked anger from supporters of PDI
\nPerjuangan, which gained the most votes in the June poll. Dozens
\nof PDI Perjuangan supporters expressed anger by staging noisy
\nprotests against the move by their party's councilors.<\/p>\n
Based on the result of the general election, PDI Perjuangan
\nhas 30 seats, PPP and PAN have 13 seats each while the military
\nhas nine seats in the council.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan leaders repeatedly explained that their move to
\ngive 20 votes in favor of the military was aimed at getting
\nmilitary support for the party in the People's Consultative
\nAssembly's General Session in November.<\/p>\n
For God sake<\/p>\n
While speaking to the press on Monday, Edy also asserted that
\nthe military headquarters putting him forth as a candidate for
\nCity Council speaker had nothing to do with guaranteeing the
\ntenure of Governor Sutiyoso, a newly retired three-star military
\ngeneral.<\/p>\n
\"To save Sutiyoso? For God sake, of course not,\" Edy said.<\/p>\n
He said he would have no hesitation in summoning Sutiyoso if
\nthe latter were to make any mistakes, even though Sutiyoso was
\nhis senior in the military.<\/p>\n
Edy also underlined that Sutiyoso could end his tenure without
\nhaving to wait until 2002 as it is permissible according to new
\nLaw No.22\/1999 on regional administration.<\/p>\n
\"It's not necessary to see out his term. It could happen
\nanytime before his term ends,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on Edy's statement, Sutiyoso
\nacknowledged that the difference in military ranks would not
\naffect the equal relationship between city administration
\nofficials and city councilors.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, I've just retired from the military. I'm a civilian
\nnow,\" he said after witnessing the ceremony.<\/p>\n
According to the law, city councilors may propose a governor
\nresign if the City Council rejects his or her accountability
\nreports twice. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-head-says-no-deal-with-pdi-p-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}