Residents want clean Council<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nTangerang<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students, workers, non-governmental organization
\n(NGO) activists and members of the arts community staged a rally
\noutside the Tangerang City Council on Tuesday, enlivening the
\nswearing-in ceremony of 45 new councillors.<\/p>\n
They demanded that the new councillors work against corruption
\nin the council.<\/p>\n
However, only Krisna Gunata of the Golkar Party and Moh.
\nBonnie Mufidjar of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) went out to
\nmeet the protesters and signed the \"political contract\".<\/p>\n
The written statement made by the protesters required the new
\ncouncillors not to abuse their authority, to stamp out
\ncorruption, not to be involved in money politics and not to
\ndeceive the public.<\/p>\n
Head of the Tangerang District Court, Zaenal Arifin, presided
\nover the ceremony which was tightly guarded.<\/p>\n
Thirty-four of the councillors are new faces. Golkar and the
\nDemocratic Party hold the largest number of seats with eight
\nseats respectively, while PKS have seven seats on the council.<\/p>\n
Acting chairman Krisna Gunata said he would soon hold the
\nfirst meeting for the councillors to discuss their internal
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
After the ceremony, the protesters marched to the local
\nprosecutor's office and urged the officers to investigate the
\nalleged misappropriation of Rp 1.4 billion (US$157,303) of the
\n2004 budget by seven former councillors.<\/p>\n
Tangerang's NGO Forum, led by Imron Khamami, reported on July
\n6 to the prosecutors that the councillors used the Council's
\nbudget to finance their traveling expenses and family receptions,
\nas well as to buy gifts for Idul Fitri last year.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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