City's next governor civilian: PDI-P

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After announcing the nomination of its deputy chairman, Roy B.B. Janis, in October's gubernatorial election, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) confirmed its stance on Monday of rejecting candidates from the military or retired military personnel.

The party, which has 30 seats on the 83-seat city council, has taken a stance that will reduce current Governor Sutiyoso's chances of reelection to a second term.

Sutiyoso, whose accountability speech on the 2001 city budget was accepted by the council, was the Jakarta Military Commander before being elected governor.

"We guarantee that the next governor will be a civilian; you can count on that," PDI Perjuangan city chapter chairman Tarmidi Suhardjo, told reporters.

Tarmidi, who is also a deputy chairman of the council, revealed that the party would convene a special meeting next month. The meeting would determine three candidates from the party to be proposed to the central board, currently chaired by PDI Perjuangan chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is also the nation's President.

"It's no longer time for this city to be led by a military person, whether active or retired. We'll advise Ibu Megawati that the next governor should be a civilian and a member of the party," he said.

Roy is not the only civilian candidate.

The Native Jakartans Association (Bamus Betawi) has proposed City Secretary Fauzi Bowo as a nominee, along with Harun Alrasyid, currently the West Nusa Tenggara governor and former Jakarta deputy governor in the 1990s, who was reportedly nominated by the Golkar Party. The party could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Tarmidi, chairman of the council's special team responsible for formulating the election regulations, said factions from the council were free to nominate candidates who were currently living outside Jakarta.

The second-largest party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party threw their weight behind PDI Perjuangan's stance.

"No longer should a military person be Jakarta governor," said Justice Party faction chairman Ahmad Heryawan.

Jakarta was always led by military personnel during the New Order regime. The gubernatorial election does not ban candidates from the military, as long as they have gained permission from their superiors.

Sutiyoso, a retired Army lieutenant general, has announced his readiness to be reelected. Two other military figures that have been nominated are State Intelligence Body (BIN) chief Lt. Gen. (ret) A.M. Hendropriyono and City Council chairman Maj. Gen. Edy Waluyo.

However, Sutiyoso was criticized for his administration's poor performance, especially its failure to deal properly with the garbage issue last year and for not giving adequate prior warning to Jakartans before the massive floods that paralyzed the city earlier this year. The administration's tardy response in helping flood victims has also contributed to his tarnished image.

Tarmidi -- earlier named as a suspect, along with two other city councillors, by the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office in a controversial foreign trip -- said Roy, the party's former city chairman, was nominated because he fulfilled the requirements for the position, including that candidates had to have knowledge about the city and be known to Jakartans.