Activist, bureaucrat add heat to election

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two more civilians -- architect-cum-activist Marco H. Kusumawijaya and the incumbent West Nusa Tenggara governor Harun Alrasyid -- registered themselves as candidates for city governor on Wednesday.

Council chairman Edy Waluyo, an Army major general, also joined the race.

Marco said should he be elected governor he would make Jakarta a clean city, both environmentally and bureaucratically.

During the registration, Marco was accompanied Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan and the head of the urban division of the Jakarta Legal Institute, Tubagus Haryo Karbyanto.

Harun said he was still seeking the approval of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is currently in Europe, as required by the gubernatorial election procedure. Megawati is scheduled to arrive home Saturday.

"The approval is still being processed. I hope it can be completed by Monday," said Harun, the former Jakarta deputy governor for economic and financial affairs.

The gubernatorial election committee has extended the registration period from Friday till Monday to allow candidates time to complete their requirements.

Another reason for extending the registration period was because the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which has 30 seats on the council, has yet to wait for approval from its chairwoman, Megawati.

Megawati had earlier thrown her weight on the reelection of Sutiyoso but the party's city chapter chairman Tarmidi Suhardjo still insisted on nominating himself.

Harun, who had secured an approval from the West Nusa Tenggara legislative body to run in the election, declined to name factions that support him.

"I have lobbied some councillors personally, but none of the factions officially support me yet," he said.

He was reportedly supported by councillors from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the former ruling Golkar Party.

His said he had joined the election race because "Jakarta is more challenging".

Harun, who was installed as West Nusa Tenggara governor in 1998, would end his tenure next year.

Edy, who is also the election committee chairman, said he would automatically quit his post as the committee chairman by the time he officially registered himself as a candidate.

"There will be an election for the committee chairman on Monday," said the councillor from the Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police faction.

Edy is reportedly supported by councillors from the TNI/Police faction, the United Development Party (PPP) and Golkar Party.

But the TNI/Police faction chairman, Ibnu Sumantri, denied that his faction supported Edy, saying it would be neutral in the election.

"We won't officially propose candidates. We allow our councillors to choose their own candidates," he said.

Edy, who will retire before the election, will be replaced at the council by Col. Dody Harseno, former head of the City Social and Political Affairs Office.