Mayor Subardi warned not to take full control<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java<\/p>\n
Mayor Subardi was not seen at his office on Thursday, the day
\nafter he was dismissed by the Cirebon Legislative Council, while
\ncouncil leaders warned him against issuing strategic and crucial
\npolicies for his administration.<\/p>\n
Neither was he found at his official residence and his family
\ndeclined to reveal his whereabouts. The mayor's cellular phone
\nwas switched off.<\/p>\n
Local officials said the mayor was possibly in the West Java
\ncapital of Bandung to attend an Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI-P) meeting, where party leader President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri was present.<\/p>\n
The council withdrew political support for Subardi and his
\ndeputy Agus Alwafier, and dismissed them on Wednesday after only
\neight months in office, accusing them of abuse of power.<\/p>\n
Yet, the council is powerless to stop the mayor from
\nmaintaining control over the municipal administration, pending
\nthe approval of his dismissal by Minister of Home Affairs Hari
\nSabarno.<\/p>\n
"As the West Java governor and the home affairs minister are
\ninvestigating the dismissal decision, we prohibit the mayor and
\nthe deputy mayor from issuing strategic and important policies,"
\ndeputy council speaker Haries Sutamin of the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB) told a media conference.<\/p>\n
He said the two were only allowed to carry out their
\nadministrative functions in order to tackle the leadership vacuum
\nin Cirebon.<\/p>\n
The strategic policies in question included replacing and
\npromoting officials, issuing bylaws and other binding
\nregulations, and making agreements with other parties, Haries
\nadded.<\/p>\n
"The decision of the council is final. Now we are going to
\nmeet the West Java governor and the home affairs minister to
\nsupport and endorse it as a permanent decision," he asserted.<\/p>\n
The media conference was attended by two other deputy council
\nspeakers Soenaryo of the Golkar Party and Wawan Wanija of the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN).<\/p>\n
Also present was Commission E chairman Enang Iman Gana, who
\nalso heads the Justice and Unity Party faction in the council.<\/p>\n
Council speaker Suryana, who was scheduled to chair the news
\nconference, could not attend as he had to meet Megawati's husband
\nTaufik Kiemas and West Java's PDI-P chairman Rudi Harsya Tanaya
\nat a party meeting in Bandung.<\/p>\n
Suryana, speaking to The Jakarta Post by phone, claimed the
\ndismissal of Subardi was supported by PDI-P leaders in Jakarta
\nand West Java.<\/p>\n
Haries further said the investigation into the case by the
\ngovernor and the home minister was merely to meet administrative
\nprocedures, and would not conflict with the council's decision to
\nfire the mayor.<\/p>\n
"In another words, the governor and the home affairs minister
\nare tasked with approving the council's decision," he added.<\/p>\n
Soenaryo echoed Haries' statement, saying the council believes
\nthat the governor and the central government would certainly take
\nthe same stance against the Cirebon mayor.<\/p>\n
One of the mayor's most serious mistakes was that he often
\nmisused his power, Soenaryo said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Citing as an example, he said Subardi launched a reshuffle of
\nofficials at his administration without consulting the council
\nand the city's ranking and post supervisory board (Baperjakat).<\/p>\n
Councillors also accused the mayor of corruption in connection
\nwith the approval of several development projects.<\/p>\n
Councillor Enang Iman Gana said the mayor often neglected his
\nduties, as he was frequently absent from his office.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mayor-subardi-warned-not-to-take-full-control-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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