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.