Bandung protesters here to stay

Bandung protesters here to stay

BANDUNG, West Java: West Java councillors better get used to it.
A group of protesters have built a stage in front of the council
building in the West Java capital of Bandung to stage daily
protests against the ongoing gubernatorial election process.

Calling themselves the Sundanese People's Forum (Formmas),
the protesters demanded that the West Java council postpone the
election of a new governor.

"From now on, we will stage a protest here every day," said
Formmas co-founder and noted musician Harry Roesli.

He said the protest was to "give voice to the desire of the
West Java people for the West Java gubernatorial election to be
canceled, and later replaced by a direct election after the
formation of a new council following the 2004 general election."

This stage, he said, had been erected in view of the fact that
the councillors had continued to ignore all the demonstrations
held so far against the election.

"The indications of money politics during the election are so
obvious. Only candidates with enough capital are able to win the
support of the council factions," Harry said.

A member of the council's election committee, Makki Juliana,
said the current election process was in accordance with the law.

He also dismissed the direct election demands as superfluous.

Under the 1999 regional autonomy laws, councils may elect
their own governors, regents and mayors as part of the delegation
of greater powers to manage their own political affairs.

But the new powers have also led to many irregularities that
have marred elections in many regions. -- Antara