Sutiyoso rejects offer to join PDI Perjuangan<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, ,The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso spurned the advances of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) on
\nMonday, declining an offer to join the party.<\/p>\n
\"Joining a political party is something that I have not yet
\nconsidered. My soul is still military,\" Sutiyoso, a retired
\ngeneral, told reporters at City Hall.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan councillor Maringan Pangaribuan said over the
\nweekend that his party, the largest in the country, would
\nconsider nominating Sutiyoso for a second five-year term as
\ngovernor if he joined the party.<\/p>\n
The offer extended to Sutiyoso is particularly ironic because
\nof the history between the party and the governor.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso was the Jakarta Military Commander in 1996 when the
\nCentral Jakarta headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party,
\nwhich Megawati Soekarnoputri chaired, was attacked, and
\nSutiyoso's name came up during investigations into the incident.<\/p>\n
The attack claimed the lives of several party members, but the
\ncase never reached the courts. Megawati is now the chairwoman of
\nPDI Perjuangan and the country's President.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso reiterated on Monday that he had no personal ambition
\nto be nominated for a second term as governor, but that he would
\ncontest the election, which will be held in October, if called
\nupon.<\/p>\n
\"I'm ready if I have the support of political parties and the
\npublic,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Besides Sutiyoso, several other names have been mentioned as
\npossible candidates. A number of these people have military
\nbackgrounds, including State Intelligence Body chief Lt. Gen.
\n(ret) A.M. Hendropriyono, who is also a PDI Perjuangan member.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military Headquarters reportedly has pushed
\nformer Udayana Military commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri for the
\ngovernorship.<\/p>\n
Rights activists have demanded that the next governor of
\nJakarta not be drawn from the military because of past human
\nrights violations by the armed forces.<\/p>\n
Some of the possible civilian candidates who have been
\nmentioned are the chairman of PDI Perjuangan's Jakarta chapter,
\nTarmidi Suhardjo, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Harun Alrasyid and
\nCity Secretary Fauzi Bowo.<\/p>\n
All but one Jakarta governor has had a military background.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso also denied on Monday that there were plans to
\npromote Fauzi, a German-trained engineer, to secretary-general of
\nthe Ministry of Home Affairs so that he would be unable to
\ncontest the election.<\/p>\n
\"There is no (such scenario), though I would be glad if
\n(Fauzi) was appointed secretary-general because that would mean
\none of my subordinates was a success,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The next city governor will be elected by the 85 city
\ncouncillors. PDI Perjuangan, with 30 councillors, will be
\ninfluential in deciding who will lead Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nMuslim-oriented National Mandate Party (PAN) have 13 seats each
\non the council, while the Indonesian Military\/National Police
\nfaction and Golkar have nine and eight seats, respectively.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan reportedly refused to form a coalition with
\nPAN, which was asking that one of its party members be elected
\nvice governor. If the two parties did join forces, their 43 seats
\nwould be enough to elect the governor and vice governor.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan is more likely to form a coalition with the
\nMilitary\/Police faction and the Golkar Party, because all three
\nshare similar nationalist ideologies.<\/p>",
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