85 new councilors to begin duties

JAKARTA (JP): Inheriting the problems left by their predecessors, 85 new city councilors will officially begin performing their legislative duties on Wednesday morning.

The councilors will be sworn in by the head of the Jakarta High Court, I Gede Sudarta, in a ceremony held at the city council office. Governor Sutiyoso will read a speech from Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid during the ceremony.

The new council will consist of 76 elected members from nine political parties, and nine appointed members from the Indonesian Military.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has 30 seats on the council, while the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party (PAN) have 13 seats each.

The ruling Golkar Party, led by Jakarta chapter chairman Tadjus Sobirin, has eight seats on the council.

The Justice Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) have four, three and two seats on the council, respectively.

Three parties -- the Justice and Unity Party (PKP), the Unity in Diversity Party (PBI) and the Unity Party (PP) -- will each have one seat on the council.

Outgoing councilor Ali Wongso H. Sinaga hoped the new council could resolve the city's unsettled problems.

"At least six urgent problems need to be settled," Ali, who chairs Commission D for Development Affairs, said on Tuesday.

He said these problems included the renegotiation of the water treatment management contract signed by city-owned water firm PAM Jaya and its foreign partners -- France's Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux and Britain's Thames Water Overseas Inc. -- and the planned increase of public transportation fares.

The improvement of the city's parking system and the development of low-cost apartments, public facilities and mass transportation are other topics which require further discussion, he said.

Ali and four other outgoing councilors -- Nitra Arsyad, Lukman F. Mokoginta, Wien H. Ritola and Soeparmo -- announced on Tuesday the establishment of Lembaga Pengkajian Pemberdayaan Daerah, a research and study group on regional empowerment.

Wien said the group would assist the city in solving its problems through research and surveys. "It's like a think tank." (jun)