Protests mark swearing in of councilors<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Amid the unceremonious din of demonstrations by
\nseveral groups calling for some of them to resign, the new lineup
\nof Jakarta councilors was sworn in at the City Council in Central
\nJakarta on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The head of the Jakarta High Court, I Gede Sudarta, officiated
\nas 84 councilors -- 75 elected from nine political parties and
\nnine appointed from the Indonesian Military (TNI) -- took their
\noaths of office according to their respective religions.<\/p>\n
Another elected councilor did not attend due to a dispute over
\nhis representation.<\/p>\n
Sudarta then symbolically placed official pins on the oldest
\nmember of the council, 68-year-old Supangat from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), and the youngest,
\nAbdul Azis Matnur, 30, from the Justice Party.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid, in a speech read in
\nhis absence by Governor Sutiyoso, hoped the council could end the
\npublic's distrust by accommodating their opinions on several
\npressing issues.<\/p>\n
\"Councilors should be more responsive. The council should be
\nproactive to oversee the executive body (city administration),\"
\nSyarwan said.<\/p>\n
Leadership of the council was temporarily handed over from
\nformer council speaker Edy Waluyo to Supangat and Aziz.<\/p>\n
Supangat and Aziz will officiate at the council's meetings
\nuntil the new speaker and his deputies are elected on Sept. 3.<\/p>\n
PBB councilor M. Syarifien Maloko, a former political prisoner
\nfrom North Jakarta, was not on the list of new councilors despite
\nbeing named by his party to the council.<\/p>\n
A note on the list said Maloko could not attend the ceremony
\nbecause he was \"still having problems\", in the words of the
\nGeneral Elections Commission.<\/p>\n
About 100 meters from the council building on Jl. Kebon Sirih,
\nhundreds of people from different groups staged demonstrations.
\nDozens of PDI Perjuangan security officials waited around the
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
The sight of protesters freely disputing the election of
\nlegislators was unknown in strictly mandated swearing-in
\nceremonies of the past.<\/p>\n
About 100 people identifying themselves as from the Reform
\nForum of Golkar Party's City Chapter demanded the resignation of
\nthe party's councilors Tadjus, Sugeng Suprijatna, Ade Suprijatna
\nand Fatommy Asaari.<\/p>\n
\"Tadjus is arrogant while Sugeng, Ade and Fatommy should not
\nbe elected since they have been elected for more than two terms,\"
\nBenny Widjaya, the forum's spokesman, said.<\/p>\n
Tadjus refused to comment on the demand.<\/p>\n
Another group of at least 25 people from the 27 July Youth
\nMovement joined the crowd, demanding Sutiyoso resign for his
\nalleged role in the fatal attack on the party's headquarters in
\n1996.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso was the city military commander at the time.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the group's demand, the retired three-star Army
\ngeneral only said that he would obey the existing procedures.<\/p>\n
\"I only devoted myself to serving my country and following
\nprocedures,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
\"People are entitled to express their own opinions.\"<\/p>\n
The group's spokesman, Fikri, also asked PDI Perjuangan's city
\nchapter chairman Roy B.B. Janis to revoke his earlier statement
\nthat the party would allow Sutiyoso to lead the city until 2002.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan's new councilor Maringan Pangaribuan said the
\nparty would allow Sutiyoso to continue his term if he showed he
\nwas serious about reform.<\/p>\n
\"We will make an evaluation. If Sutiyoso does not support
\nreform, we will ask him to resign,\" said Maringan, who is tipped
\nto become the council speaker.<\/p>\n
Dozens of PAN supporters also staged a rally, demanding the
\nresignation of the party's councilors, Sambudi Bakri and Mardjuan
\nBakri, for alleged deceit. (jun)<\/p>",
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