Sutiyoso's accountability speech rejected<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Regional Council voted on Thursday
\nto reject the yearly accountability speech of Governor Sutiyoso
\nfor his failure to provide detailed explanations to the
\ncouncillors' questions.<\/p>\n
The decision was made in an open vote at the end of the
\nlengthy plenary meeting at the City Hall on Jl. Kebon Sirih, that
\nlasted from 9 a.m until 6:15 p.m.<\/p>\n
Of the 84 councillors in attendance, 68 stood up during the
\nvote to show their rejection of Sutiyoso's speech, while the
\nremaining 16 accepted it.<\/p>\n
The council has 85 councillors from 11 factions. A councillor
\nfrom the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nfaction did not appear at the meeting for unknown reasons.<\/p>\n
The 68 councillors who decided to reject the governor's speech
\nwere members from PDI Perjuangan, the Justice and Unity Party
\n(PKP), the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP), and the United Party (PP).<\/p>\n
Their colleagues from the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the
\nJustice and Unity Party (PKP), National Awakening Party (PKB),
\nUnity in Diversity Party (PBI), and the Indonesian
\nMilitary\/National Police factions agreed to endorse the responses
\nof Sutiyoso, who has been in the position for more than 2.5
\nyears, or half of the five-year governorship period.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso delivered his speech on June 5 before the city
\ncouncillors, who -- according to Law No.22\/1999 on Regional
\nAutonomy -- have the right to evaluate, accept or reject the
\nspeech and submit the final result, as a recommendation, to the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
According to the councillors, many of his statement in the
\nwritten speech was unclear.<\/p>\n
Previously, the city councillors had the rights only to listen
\nto the governor's speech without having the authority to give
\ntheir evaluation.<\/p>\n
Prior to the Thursday meeting, only PPP had publicly announced
\nits rejection of Sutiyoso's speech.<\/p>\n
Failing to reach an agreement on the speech, the council
\nleaders and chairpersons of the 11 factions initially decided to
\nhold a closed vote to settle the differences after a consultative
\nsession.<\/p>\n
Debate was rife after council speaker Edy Waluyo announced the
\ndecision, since the councillors were divided on the matter
\nwhether to hold an open or closed vote.<\/p>\n
But some of them argued that closed voting would protect the
\nrights of each councillor and avoid possible emotional reactions
\nlater, while others pointed out that open voting would clearly
\nreflect each faction's position in the matter.<\/p>\n
\"We will only join an open vote. We will walk out of the
\nplenary session if closed voting is adopted,\" threatened Tjuk
\nSudono of the 13-member PAN faction.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, chairman of the three-member PKB faction,
\nTubagus Abbas Ma'mun threatened to walk out if the voting was to
\nbe held in an open session.<\/p>\n
\"We'll walk out,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The arguments lasted for more than two hours after several
\nadjournments to resolve the matter. The councillors also
\nsucceeded in revoking the use of a 2000 council decree, that
\nstipulates, among other things, the need for a secrete ballot.<\/p>\n
In an open vote, 15 councillors voted in favor of closed
\nvoting, 67 voted against, and two abstained.<\/p>\n
The council finally decided at 6 p.m. to conduct an open
\nballot to decide whether or not it would endorse Sutiyoso's
\naccountability speech.<\/p>\n
But the rejection will not automatically mean that the
\ngovernor has to relinquish his position.<\/p>\n
According to Law No.22\/1999, the governor will be given a 30-
\nday period to provide detailed explanations to the factions'
\nquestions in a new speech.<\/p>\n
Even if the improved speech is rejected, the city council has
\nto invite independent experts to form a second opinion in an open
\npublic hearing before sending a recommendation to the central
\ngovernment to replace Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
Protests were also aired from outside the plenary hall by some
\n250 people from four groups: the Jakarta Partners Communication
\nForum (Fokorja), the Jakarta Residents Forum (FAKTA), vendors of
\nSerdang market and the Communication Forum of the 124 victims of
\nthe July 27, 1996 tragedy (FKK 124-27 Juli'96), calling for the
\ncouncillors to reject Sutiyoso's speech.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the rejection, Sutiyoso said he wasn't affected
\nat all and would keep running the administration as usual.<\/p>\n
\"I accept any decision made by city councillors as long as
\nthey asses my achievements and performance objectively,\" he told
\nreporters after the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"I will just follow the procedures. I'll provide more answers
\nand explanations to the councillors,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso felt that some of the councillors had given objective
\nassessments while others failed to do so, using the city-run Bank
\nDKI questions as an example.<\/p>\n
\"The councillors kept asking me why Bank DKI's non-performing
\nloans were separated from its bookkeeping. They took it as a way
\nto fool them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think they understand that the transfer was required
\nby the central bank prior to recapitalization. We can't do
\nanything but follow,\" he added, while saying the loans were
\nmanaged by different bookkeeping.<\/p>\n
He also asked councillors to consider the national condition
\nprior to his governorship.<\/p>\n
\"We all must realize that my tenure is severely affected by
\nthe multidimensional crisis that has hit our country since 1997,
\njust before I was sworn in as the governor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Not to mention riots and unrest before and after the fall of
\nthe New Order regime,\" he added. (06\/nvn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sutiyosos-accountability-speech-rejected-1447893297",
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