City Council quiet after gubernatorial election

City Council quiet after gubernatorial election

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Council was silent on Thursday, one day after Governor
Sutiyoso was controversially elected for a second term with 47 of
84 votes.

The scene on Thursday was in stark contrast to the events that
took place during the election on Wednesday, when thousands of
demonstrators took to the streets around City Hall and the City
Council building to oppose the election of Sutiyoso.

The demonstration turned ugly when protesters clashed with
security officers, leaving dozens of people injured.

Most members of the election committee failed to show up at
the City Council building on Thursday, which was the first day of
a three-day public screening period, when the public is given the
opportunity to voice their opinions about the governor-elect and
his deputy.

Some councillors reportedly were in their offices early in the
morning, but they did not stay for long.

"Bapak was here but then he got out. I don't know where," a
female employee of the United Development Party (PPP) told
reporters when asked about election committee member A.R. Hamidi.

"I also don't know where any of the other councillors are.
They did not notify me that they will not be coming into the
office," she added.

Among the councillors who reportedly made brief appearances at
the City Council on Thursday were Tubagus Abbas Saleh Ma'mun and
HAH Ishak of the National Awakening Party (PKB), and Amarullah
Asbah of the Golkar Party.

This was also true at the offices of other party factions,
including the Justice Party (PK) and the Star and Crescent Party
(PBB) factions.

The office of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Justice (PDI
Perjuangan), which was the major force behind Sutiyoso's
reelection, was dark with all the lights turned off by staffers.

There were only three staffers at the office, which is usually
packed with party members.

A day before the election, almost all of the councillors from
the PDI Perjuangan and Golkar had checked into the five-star
Borobudur Hotel.

A group of protesters distributed on Wednesday a "blacklist"
of PDI Perjuangan councillors, accusing them of accepting bribes
from Sutiyoso. The list contained the addresses and phone numbers
of the councillors.

Fearing possible attacks by anti-Sutiyoso protesters, which
failed to materialize, the faction requested special police
protection for its members.

Also on the list were several members of the Golkar Party and
the PPP, as well as the only member of the Justice and Unity
Party (PKP), Posman Siahaan.

The demonstration on Wednesday caused some Rp 100 million
(US$11,235) in damages, including damage to three vehicles and
the fences surrounding the City Council building, according to a
report by the city administration.

The vehicles were a Volvo sedan owned by Vice Presidential
Secretary Prijono Tjiptoherijanto, a Daihatsu Espass minibus and
a fire truck from the City Fire Agency.

The gates and some windows of the City Revenue Agency
building, located west of the City Council on Jl. Kebon Sirih,
were damaged during the melee, while some 600 meters of shrubs
and plants and a decorative street lamp were damaged. The city
began cleaning up the damage on Thursday.

Two police armored vehicles equipped with water cannons were
still in the City Council parking lot on Thursday, and two police
trucks were parked on Jl. Kebon Sirih.

Police officers will be deployed in the area until Sunday,
although their numbers have been reduced to some 200 officers
from the Central Jakarta Police.

Meanwhile, the City Hall complex, which is located behind the
City Council building, was also quieter than usual on Thursday,
although city administration spokesman Muhayat said it was
business as usual.