Councillors miss inauguration<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung<\/p>\n
Three councillors-elect charged with using false diplomas were
\nnot among those sworn in on Monday to the Bandung and Cimahi
\nregency legislatures in West Java.<\/p>\n
The three councillors are Agus Setiadi and Tata Taryana, both
\nelected to the Bandung council from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI-P), and Ahmad Jaoji, who was elected to
\nthe Cimahi council.<\/p>\n
The Bale Bandung District Court acquitted Jaoji of all charges
\nrelated to the use of a false diploma on Aug. 9, but he has been
\ndetained at the Kebonwaru penitentiary since Aug. 16 as
\nprosecutor Marihot Silalahi appeals the verdict to a higher
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
The same district court is currently hearing the cases against
\nAgus and Tata.<\/p>\n
Under the Election Law, legislators convicted of a crime lose
\ntheir legislative seats after the Supreme Court hands down a
\nlegally binding verdict.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Cimahi election commission, Ikin Sodikin,
\nsaid on Monday his office had yet to remove Jaoji's name from the
\nlist of the elected councillors, pending a legally binding
\nverdict.<\/p>\n
More than 200 councillors elected in the April 5 legislative
\npolls are facing criminal investigations on various charges,
\nincluding the use of false diplomas and graft.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, peaceful protests marked the inauguration
\nceremonies for the new Bandung and Cimahi councils on Monday.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of student demonstrators urged the 43 new Bandung
\ncouncillors and the 39 new Cimahi councillors to demonstrate
\ntheir commitment to fighting corruption.<\/p>\n
The protesters, grouped in the United Front for Indonesian
\nMuslim Students, urged the Bandung councillors to vow that they
\nwould not become involved in graft while in office.<\/p>\n
Dozens of people from the Democratic Party staged a separate
\nrally during the Cimahi council's inauguration. They questioned
\nthe residency status of at least two elected councillors from the
\nparty.<\/p>\n
\"The two councillors have never stayed in their houses in
\nCimahi, because they are actually residents of Bandung who only
\nhave domicile in Cimahi,\" said one of the protesters, Sarya.<\/p>\n
However, the demonstrators declined to name the two
\ncouncillors.<\/p>\n
They urged the Cimahi General Elections Commission to
\ninvestigate whether the two elected councillors held double
\nidentity cards in order to advance their political interests.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councillors-miss-inauguration-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}