Betawi groups plan massive rally to thwart Sutiyoso's reelection
Betawi groups plan massive rally to thwart Sutiyoso's reelection
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
While supporters of Governor Sutiyoso in the City Council have
done everything in their capacity to facilitate the path to his
reelection for the 2002-2007 term, a number of organizations are
pondering strategies to block that smooth process.
One such plan includes deploying thousands of people to occupy
the City Council building on Jl. Kebon Sirih before and during
the election day on Sept. 11, with the aim of disrupting the
election process.
The Betawi Assembly (Bamus Betawi), supported by some 60
organizations, is among many organizations opposed to Sutiyoso's
reelection that will mobilize their members starting from Sept. 9
up to the election day.
"The only way to draw their (the councillors) attention is
through public pressure. They have never listened to our voice
although our strength is real," chairman of Bamus Betawi Abdul
Syukur told a meeting attended by representatives of supporting
organizations.
He said that Bamus Betawi, which sought a gubernatorial seat
for an indigenous Jakartan (Betawi), threatened to deploy up to
100,000 people if the City Council ignored their calls.
Despite its previous show of support for Sutiyoso, the Betawi
Brotherhood Forum (FBR) pledged to take part in the anti-Sutiyoso
maneuver.
FBR spokesman Taufik said that FBR members had expressed their
willingness to join the move. FBR is not officially a part of
Bamus Betawi.
The Betawi Movement (Gerak), another Betawi organization,
slammed the election, saying that only those who have money and
power would win the election.
"Therefore, the only way to halt the unfair process is to
stall the election. Just mobilize as many people as possible
before and during the election," said Gerak spokesman Satar.
Members of FBR, the Betawi Families Association (Ikaba),
United Betawi Peoples Forum (Formabbes), and Betawi Peoples Forum
(POB) seemed to agree to the move.
In a related development, a number of student and youth
organizations including the Jakarta Student Executive Body (BEM
Jakarta), People's Alliance Forum (FAM), the Reform Defenders
Jakarta Forum (PAKAR), and some other non-governmental
organizations have also threatened to occupy the City Council to
block Sutiyoso's reelection.
The Sept. 11 gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial election
will see seven pairs of candidates, comprising Sutiyoso-Fauzi
Bowo, Tarmidi Suhardjo-Abdillah Toha, Edy Waluyo-Ahmad Suhaidi,
Marzuki Usman-Abdul Halim Asyhari, Mahfudz Djaelani-Doli Diapary
Siregar, Ahmad Heriawan-Igo Ilham, and Endang Darmawan-Dadang
Hamdani contesting in the election.
Four of the pairs of candidates have reportedly planned to
boycott the election.
They (the four pairs) have expressed their wish to relinquish
their candidacies. They have also tried to persuade two other
candidates not to run in the election, reports said.
The move, if accomplished, would disrupt the election process,
as according to electoral procedures if six pairs of candidates
back out of the election, it must be halted. According to the
regulations, there should be at least two pairs of candidates to
be elected on the election day.
On Friday, Sutiyoso's supporters led by the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)'s councillors
managed to get their way by requiring the councillors (the
voters) to write down the names of their chosen candidates on the
ballot papers at the Sept. 11 election.
PDI Perjuangan councillor Audi I.Z. Tambunan admitted that his
faction's insistence on writing the names on the ballot paper was
part of the faction's effort to control the loyalty of the 30
councillors in the City Council.
He said that the faction would have a certain code for each
PDI Perjuangan councillor that wrote the names of Sutiyoso who is
paired with City Secretary Fauzi Bowo as vice gubernatorial
candidate on the ballot papers.
Political analysts, however, said that such a balloting system
could also be used as a mechanism for foul play between the
councillors and the candidates.