C. Java councillors to be isolated prior to election
C. Java councillors to be isolated prior to election
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Three weeks prior to the gubernatorial election in the Central Java province, councillors are considering isolating themselves before casting their vote to avoid the possibility of money politics and intimidation.
Councillor Soejatno SW, chairman of Golkar Party faction, and deputy of the United Development Party (PPP) faction Daromi Irdjas said on Friday that they supported the idea.
"I support the councillors' isolation as long as we're not isolated by our party but by the gubernatorial election committee," said Soejatno, who is also a member of the committee.
The election will take place on July 24.
Daromi agreed, saying that each councillor has his or her own aspiration in voting for governor and deputy governor.
Daromi, who is also chairman of the Central Java Council's Commission A overseeing government affairs, said that each councillor had to anticipate the possibility of both physical and psychological intimidation.
He said, as quoted by Antara, that isolating councillors prior to the gubernatorial election would not be necessary in normal circumstances.
Last month, 38 councillors in East Nusa Tenggara province were also put up in several star-rated hotels three days prior to the gubernatorial election. They claimed that the purpose was "to make communication and consolidation easier".
Incumbent governor Mardiyanto is among the 17 Central Java gubernatorial candidates along with former Semarang mayor Soetrisno Suharto and incumbent council speaker Mardijo who is also chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction.
Soejatno said that the coalition of the four factions of Golkar, National Awakening Party (PKB), National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Indonesian Military/National Police remained solid although each had different candidates.
"I'm sure that the coalition will still vote for Mardiyanto. As for his deputy, we'll talk about that later," he said.
Golkar has nominated two pairs of candidates: Mardiyanto and Soendoro; and Soetrisno Suharto and Soendoro; while PKB nominated Mardiyanto and Ali Mufiz; and FAN nominated HS Kirbiantoro and Marjani Danu Prawiro.
Soejatno refuted the news that the coalition had broken down due to differences in naming candidates.
"Let's wait until election day. I'm optimistic that Pak Mardiyanto will win," he said.