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