Bambang DH appointed new Surabaya mayor
Ainur Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
East Java Governor Imam Utomo appointed Surabaya Deputy Mayor Bambang DH as the city's new mayor at the Surabaya mayoralty on Monday, ending the controversy surrounding January's dismissal of Sunarto Sumoprawiro as mayor by the Surabaya legislative council.
The official appointment of Bambang, who is an executive of the Surabaya office of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), was witnessed by PDI Perjuangan executives, including Manggara Siahaan and Theo Syafe'i. Bambang's term as mayor will last until 2005.
Governor Imam Utomo said on Monday that he hoped Bambang would be able to govern firmly and adopt a serious approach in fighting rampant corruption in Surabaya.
"Corruption in the city water agency (PDAM) and in Surabaya's garbage management are among the many cases. It is my hope that Pak Bambang will be able to make firm decisions in this matter," Imam told reporters.
He added that a reshuffle within the Surabaya mayoralty and the Surabaya administration was due to take place, including the replacement of the secretary to the mayor's office and about 169 officers in the subdistrict level of Surabaya.
The legislature had proposed that Sunarto be fired for his three-month absence starting last October.
Many local residents aired grievances over Sunarto's leadership as he had abandoned his duties when hundreds of tons of garbage were left at temporary dump sites across the city during October and November last year.
The mayor was in Melbourne for medical treatment when the garbage problem occurred. He claimed to have asked for permission to undergo treatment overseas.
The Surabaya legislative council voted on Jan. 15 to dismiss Sunarto for, among other reasons, being absent for three months from his duties due to medical reasons.
The same day, the council chose to appoint his deputy Bambang DH as the new mayor. Some 31 out of 45 legislators who attended the legislature's plenary session voted for Sunarto's dismissal, while 12 opposed and two abstained.
Controversy surrounding January's dismissal of Sunarto Sumoprawiro by the local legislative council did not die, even after a special team investigating the case defended the decision as legitimate in March.
The team said the move to dismiss the mayor for being absent from three months for medical reasons was justifiable "legally, politically and medically".
"Based on the results of field investigation and examination, we conclude that the council's decision made through Decree No. 1/2002 is legally sound," team member Suwoto Mulyosudarmo had said.
"The council used Law No. 22/1999 on regional governance, and Bylaw No. 108/2000 on the accountability of a regional head (in making the decision)," added the noted constitutional law expert.
The six-member team led by Soetandyo Wignyosubroto was established by Governor Imam Utomo at the instruction of Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno to clarify the controversial dismissal.
Hari rejected the dismissal, claiming legislative councils could not dismiss governors, mayors or regents, although they are permitted to do so under the Regional Autonomy Law. The minister continued to recognize Sunarto as the Surabaya mayor and instructed the governor to form an investigative team.
Members of the team, set up later in January, also included political scientist Aribowo and health expert Abdul Syukur.
Most factions in the council were of the same opinion that Sunarto was no longer fit to do his job because of ill health, as stipulated in Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy.