NGOs demand direct election, current process terminated<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A total of 49 non-governmental organizations on Wednesday
\ndemanded that President Megawati Soekarnoputri stop the ongoing
\nJakarta gubernatorial election process, stressing that it was
\nbeing carried out undemocratically and against the prevailing
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
The NGOs included the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH
\nJakarta), the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ), the Jakarta
\nResidents' Forum (Fakta), the Sanggar Ciliwung organization, the
\nLet's Watch organization, Women's Solidarity, the Urban Poor
\nConsortium (UPC), and the Society of Indonesian Professionals
\n(MPI).<\/p>\n
In their joint communique, the NGOs call for the formation of
\na caretaker administration tasked with organizing a gubernatorial
\nelection where the governor would be chosen directly by the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
According to the NGOs, the election process should be stopped
\nas the City Council had several times violated the election
\nprocedures that it had approved.<\/p>\n
The violations included lack of transparency and inconsistency
\nin the selection process; not all candidates were invited to
\ninterviews; a gubernatorial candidate was permitted to become a
\nvice gubernatorial candidate, and the number of councillors
\nattending most of the plenary sessions during the selection
\nprocess did not meet the quorum.<\/p>\n
\"How can we expect good governance from the next City
\nAdministration if we allow this unfair gubernatorial election
\nprocess to continue,\" Tubagus Haryo Karbiyanto of the Jakarta
\nLegal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) told the press.<\/p>\n
The City Council has selected seven pairings of gubernatorial
\nand vice gubernatorial candidates. The seven pairings of
\ncandidates have been reported to the President through the home
\naffairs minister. Among the pairings, incumbent Governor Sutiyoso
\nand City Secretary Fauzi Bowo are the strongest so far, and it
\nwould seem that only President Megawati Soekarnoputri could stop
\nthem from becoming the next governor and deputy governor of
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Other pairings include the deputy chairman of the council,
\nTarmidi Suhardjo, who is paired off with the secretary-general of
\nthe National Mandate Party (PAN) Abdillah Toha, and City Council
\nChairman Edy Waluyo who is paired with an executive of the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) Ahmad Suaidy.<\/p>\n
The communique also questioned the integrity of two of the
\nmain candidates, Sutiyoso and Tarmidi, as both of them are
\nsuspects in criminal cases.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Military Police have named Sutiyoso a suspect in
\nthe July 27, 1996, incident when military personnel and civilians
\nattacked supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri. Meanwhile, Tarmidi
\nis a suspect in a corruption case involving the management of the
\nstate-owned Ancol amusement complex.<\/p>\n
The NGOs said that many of the City Councillors had been
\ninvolved in money politics during the selection process.<\/p>\n
The communique also said that the ongoing selection process
\nhad ignored the people's aspiration as the City Council only
\naccommodated the interests of the political parties and the
\nowners of capital.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, the process should be stopped and it is time to
\nhold a direct election by the people,\" said the communique, which
\nwas read out during the press conference.<\/p>\n
Ratna Sarumpaet, chairwoman of the Governor and Vice Governor
\nForum, said that the NGOs would follow up on the communique with
\nvarious forms of action, including public rallies, speeches, and
\npossible occupation of the City Council building.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ngos-demand-direct-election-current-process-terminated-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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