Governor blames militant vendors for street disorder<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso blamed increased militancy
\namong street vendors on Monday for the increasing disorderliness
\nin the streets of the capital.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said he detected a growing trend among vendors,
\nparticularly those who were economically hard-pressed, to break
\nthe law.<\/p>\n
\"They not only violate rules, but sometimes they even attack
\ncity officials,\" he told a plenary meeting of the City Council
\nwhich is scrutinizing his performance over the past year.<\/p>\n
The administration faced a dilemma in dealing with street
\nvendors, he said.<\/p>\n
\"On one hand, we have to uphold the supremacy of the law, but
\non the other hand, we have to understand the difficulties people
\nhave in surviving the economic crisis,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He promised that the administration would continue to try to
\nrestore order in the streets of Jakarta by using a humane
\napproach towards illegal street vendors.<\/p>\n
The administration estimated that some 270,000 people are
\nhawking their wares in the streets of the capital, a sharp
\nincrease from about 120,000 before the economic crisis hit the
\ncountry in 1997.<\/p>\n
Most of these vendors are believed to have come from out of
\ntown, prompting calls by councillors for tougher action by the
\nadministration to send them back to their villages.<\/p>\n
The administration has conducted a series of raids to put the
\nareas in order. In several cases, these raids triggered violent
\nresponses from the vendors.<\/p>\n
The Council earlier criticized Sutiyoso for his failure to
\nrestore peace and order in Jakarta in line with his own motto to
\nmake Jakarta a clean and beautiful capital city.<\/p>\n
Various factions in the Council debating Sutiyoso's June 5
\nspeech have also attacked the governor for his failure to
\neradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism practices within the
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
Responding to criticisms of the rampant gambling activities in
\nJakarta, Sutiyoso said the administration's role is limited to
\nmaintaining order and that it is the responsibility of the police
\nto conduct raids and investigations. \"The administration will
\ncontinue to monitor places allegedly used for gambling,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso promised to get rid of some 6,500 becaks (three-
\nwheeled pedicabs) which have returned to Jakarta streets since
\n1998 when the governor decided to allow the becaks to operate in
\nthe capital streets to help out the poor.<\/p>\n
The policy was reversed within weeks and the governor has
\nsince been attacked from all sides for this flip-flop.<\/p>\n
However, Sutiyoso denied on Monday ever making a written or
\nverbal policy to allow becaks to operate in the city.<\/p>\n
The council will continue to deliberate on Sutiyoso's speech
\nand is expected to give its final evaluation on July 24.<\/p>\n
While the council's evaluation is simply an annual score card
\non the governor's performance, a discontented council has the
\ncapability to oust the governor, as shown by the recent
\nexperience in Aceh. The Aceh governor was removed by President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid this month at the recommendation of the
\nprovince's legislative council.<\/p>\n
The City Council factions on Monday appeared divided on
\nSutiyoso's response to their views.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Heryawan of the Justice Party said the answers were too
\ngeneral and lacked depth.<\/p>\n
He cited as an example the answer on the efforts to eradicate
\ncorruption and other irregularities.<\/p>\n
\"If only Sutiyoso had elaborated on the problems in creating a
\nclean administration, we could make a better judgment. We could
\neven offer solutions,\" Ahmad said.<\/p>\n
Siti Wasilah Sutrisno of the National Mandate Party said \"the
\ngovernor could have done much better by providing detailed
\nanswers. He also didn't answer our questions on public and social
\nfacilities,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Tubagus Abbas Saleh Ma'mun of the National Awakening Party
\nsaid he was quite satisfied with the governor's answers.<\/p>\n
\"We understand that Sutiyoso has to carry all the burden by
\nhimself although he didn't create these problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The economic crisis further added to his burden. He has to
\nclean up all the mess,\" Tubagus said.<\/p>\n
He nevertheless criticized the governor for not using the
\nreform momentum to cleanse the administration from corruption and
\nother irregularities.<\/p>\n
\"He should replace 75 percent of his officials,\" he said.
\n(06\/nvn)<\/p>",
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