With doubtful achievements, does Sutiyoso deserve reelection?<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It is difficult to cite Governor Sutiyoso's achievements this
\nyear. Probably the most striking ones are the award he received
\nfrom the Jakarta Diplomatic Corps for helping to facilitate the
\nwork of diplomats here and an honorary PhD he got from Pusan
\nUniversity of Foreign Studies in South Korea.<\/p>\n
If we cite the elimination of becak (pedicabs) from the city
\nand the increase in the city budget as among his "successes",
\nthen many would debate it.<\/p>\n
It is easier to cite examples of his failures, such as the
\nforced eviction of disadvantaged people from slums.<\/p>\n
Let's start with his "achievement" in ridding the city of more
\nthan 6,000 becak after months of clashes with becak drivers.<\/p>\n
More than Rp 30 billion (US$3 million) in funds had been spent
\nto finance public order operations against becak which were
\nbanned in city bylaw No. 11\/1988 on public order.<\/p>\n
The operations triggered clashes with becak drivers, who were
\nsupported by several non-governmental organizations. One of the
\nclashes occurred in the Roxy area, where a civilian security
\nguard was killed, dozens of officers and becak drivers injured,
\nand several cars belonging to the public order office were
\ntorched.
\nHad Sutiyoso not invited the pedicab drivers to operate in the
\ncity again in 1999 when the country was hit by the economic
\ncrisis, the clashes would not have occurred and the funds could
\nhave been used to finance other more urgent programs.<\/p>\n
The governor repeatedly argued that he had allowed them to
\noperate in 1999 because of the economic crisis. Have we emerged
\nfrom the crisis this year so that the drivers should no longer be
\npermitted to continue their operations?. We are still in an
\neconomic crisis.<\/p>\n
His other claim to success is the increased budget. The
\ngovernor has managed to increase the city budget from Rp 4.98
\ntrillion last year to Rp 8.1 trillion this year.<\/p>\n
However, it would be correct to say that most of the 2001
\nbudget was raised through tax payers contributions, while the
\ncity-owned companies, those of which were not suffering losses,
\ncontributed very little.<\/p>\n
A coalition of non-governmental organizations led by the Urban
\nPoor Consortium criticized the budget for its lack of
\ntransparency and for the disproportionate allocation of funds for
\nthe socially disadvantaged.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso, the former Jakarta military commander, has often
\nbeen criticized for the way his administration conducts their
\npublic order operations using violent and coercive methods,
\nincluding raids against squatters living on riverbanks.<\/p>\n
Guarded by hundreds of police officers, the city public order
\nofficers bulldozed makeshift homes along riverbanks witnessed
\nwith tears by the poor, and now homeless, people.<\/p>\n
These marginalized people had been living there for years and
\nwere subject to the same obligations as other Jakarta residents,
\nsuch as paying taxes and the like.<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) deplored
\nthe operations, saying that the administration had violated human
\nrights.<\/p>\n
Many say that the people should not have been evicted without
\nproper compensation since the administration had "allowed" them
\nto stay there for years.<\/p>\n
Another failure of the governor, who assumed the city's top
\npost in 1996, is his management of the city's garbage, which is
\nstill a very serious problem as the Bekasi administration has
\nonly agreed to reopen the Bantar Gebang dump for one month.
\nBekasi has warned that if no satisfactory agreement is reached
\nthen it will close it again.<\/p>\n
The prolonged dispute with the Bekasi municipal
\nadministration, which demanded the closure of the 104-hectare
\nBantar Gebang garbage dump due to environmental damage, shows a
\nlack of proper planning for such a huge metropolis.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso has encountered difficulties in finding new sites to
\ndump the 25,000 cubic meters of garbage generated by city
\nresidents every day. Garbage has been piling up as a result
\nthroughout the city.<\/p>\n
As land prices are prohibitively expensive, the administration
\nshould look to more advanced technology which needs a smaller
\nland area to recycle garbage, which has increased annually along
\nwith the growth in the city's population.<\/p>\n
The planned cooperation with four private firms to recycle the
\ncity's waste using biotechnology is believed to have began since
\nthe Bantar Gebang dispute with Bekasi.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso's record in ending collusion, corruption and nepotism
\n(KKN) and enforcing the law in the spirit of reformation was
\npoor. (jun will add examples to support that statement)<\/p>\n
So could we mention any other reasons to support the
\nreelection of Sutiyoso in October next year? It would be
\ndifficult for him to make his mark in lasting achievements in the
\nremaining 10 months.<\/p>\n
The governor has reportedly began to lobby certain politicians
\nfor his reelection for a second term.<\/p>\n
Some believe that Sutiyoso, with his financial resources and
\nstrong political backing, will be reelected.<\/p>\n
If Sutiyoso were reelected, what significant progress will
\nJakarta achieve?<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/with-doubtful-achievements-does-sutiyoso-deserve-reelection-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}