City officials eye mayors' posts

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

At least 10 officials with the city administration are running as candidates for the positions of Central Jakarta and West Jakarta mayor. They are currently being screened by a team led by City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya.

"Several criteria will be taken into account: their work experience, educational background and achievement," Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday at City Hall.

He emphasized that the new mayors should be better qualified than their predecessors because of tough challenges ahead.

"All mayors must be able to support city administration policies to boost Jakarta's image as the capital of Indonesia," he added.

The selection team will come up with several names to be presented to Sutiyoso for his approval.

Unlike in other areas, the mayors of the five municipalities and one regency in Jakarta are not appointed by their own councils but directly appointed by the governor as stipulated in Law No. 34/1999 on the Jakarta provincial administration.

So far, some names have been released to the press as strong candidates for the positions. They are the Jakarta Nation Unity Agency head Syahrul Effendi, Jakarta Population Agency head Sylviana Murni, City Spokesman or Information Agency head Muhayat, City Public Lighting Agency head Pinondang Simanjuntak, Thousand Islands deputy regent Djoko Rachmadi, city municipality administration office head Fadjar Panjaitan, East Jakarta deputy mayor Darwin Dachlan, South Jakarta deputy mayor Sadoni, Central Jakarta deputy mayor Dadang Effendi and North Jakarta deputy mayor Syarifuddin Putra.

The newly appointed mayors will be installed next August. West Jakarta Mayor Sarimun Hadisaputra should have ended his term last year but his tenure was extended due to the direct legislative and presidential elections. Meanwhile, Central Jakarta Mayor Hosea Petra Lumbun will end his term in August.