Activists urge suspension of election results

Activists urge suspension of election results

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Activists demanded on Sunday the results of the gubernatorial
election be suspended following the recent confession by a
candidate who admitted paying Rp 200 million (US$22,222) to 40
councillors.

Interviewed separately by The Jakarta Post, the activists,
lawyer Tubagus H. Karbyanto of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute
(LBH) and Azas Tigor Nainggolan of the Jakarta Residents Forum
(Fakta), pushed for the establishment of an independent team to
investigate the allegations of money politics.

"Although it (the confession) didn't directly involve (the
elected governor Sutiyoso), the process should be stopped because
it (allegedly) involved 40 councillors who voted for Sutiyoso,"
Tigor said.

Tubagus said that if the statement was found to be true the
whole election process should be declared illegal.

Both Tubagus and Tigor suggested that the central government
set up an independent team consisting of councillors,
prosecutors, police and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to
investigate the allegations.

Gubernatorial candidate Mahfudz Djaelani announced on Friday
that he made the down payments as part of a promised Rp 2 billion
payout if the 40 councillors elected him.

Mahfudz revealed the 40 councillors were from the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National
Mandate Party (PAN), the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) and the
Justice and Unity Party (PBB).

During Wednesday's vote, Mahfudz, paired with Doli Diapary
Siregar, secured just three votes while Sutiyoso got 47 votes
from the total of 84 councillors who cast their ballots.

Other gubernatorial candidates who took part in the election
were Edy Waluyo, Marzuki Usman, Tarmidi Suhardjo, Endang Darmawan
and Ahmad Heriyawan.

"I want my money back or I will publicize the names of the
councillors," Mahfudz, a travel agency businessman, told a press
conference.

According to the election's rules, the public is given three
days to file their complaints. It was unclear whether Mahfudz
would officially submit his complaint.

Tubagus believed that Mahfudz's statement indicated the
involvement of Sutiyoso in money politics.

"The councillors shifted the votes to Sutiyoso, probably,
because they received more money from him," he said.

He urged the police to question Mahfudz and the councillors
for alleged bribery.

However, Tigor urged the police to appreciate and protect
Mahfudz for his willingness to reveal the bribery.

"We should protect him from accusations of defamation," he
said.

Both activists suggested the central government, through the
ministry of home affairs, appoint a gubernatorial caretaker to
lead the city and to prepare for direct gubernatorial elections.

The fourth Amendment to the Constitution recently approved
direct elections for the president, members of the House of
Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council. It
implicitly suggested that the governor should be directly
elected.

The House is currently deliberating the revision of the Law
22/1999 on regional autonomy which will stipulate direct
elections for governors, mayors and regents.