Residents of West Java divided by question of next governor<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Cirebon\/Bandung<\/p>\n
The people of West Java are divided over who should lead the
\nprovince for the 2003-2008 period. Residents in the Pasundan area
\nwant the next governor to be Sundanese, while non-Sundanese
\nresidents in the northern part of the province want the next
\ngovernor to come from their region.<\/p>\n
Gandjar Kurni, an influential figure in Bandung, capital of
\nWest Java, said during a seminar in the city on Saturday that
\nwhoever replaces outgoing Governor Nuriana should be Sundanese.
\nHe said this would help him or her win the support of the
\nmajority of residents and secure their backing for his or her
\ndevelopment programs.<\/p>\n
He added that it would be strange if the next governor was not
\nSundanese.<\/p>\n
Popong Otje Djundjunan, wife of former Bandung mayor
\nDjundjunan, agreed, adding that the next governor should also be
\nintellectual and religious.<\/p>\n
Popong, one of 106 people who registered their candidacy with
\nthe gubernatorial election committee, said she was not
\nnecessarily referring to herself, but that these attributes were
\nnecessary for the next governor.<\/p>\n
Iwan Hendrawan, chairman of the Association of Regency
\nLegislatures, criticized those people demanding a Sundanese
\ngovernor, saying the province was home to numerous other ethnic
\ngroups besides Sundanese.<\/p>\n
\"The province will certainly be divided into at least two
\nprovinces if the gubernatorial candidates use this divisive issue
\nto win the gubernatorial election,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Suryana, chairman of the Cirebon branch of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said
\nthe party's branches in Karawang, Bekasi, Indramayu, Cirebon,
\nKuningan and Majalengka supported the decision of the party's
\nexecutive board to name Rudi Harsya Tanaya, chairman of PDI
\nPerjuangan's West Java chapter, as its gubernatorial candidate.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a number of other political parties have named
\nseveral different Army generals as gubernatorial candidates. They
\ninclude Maj. Gen. (ret) Tayo Tarmadi, the former chief of the
\nSiliwangi Military Command, and Maj. Gen. Sudradjat, the director
\ngeneral for defense strategy affairs at the defense ministry.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-of-west-java-divided-by-question-of-next-governor-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}