Council accepts Sutiyoso's accountability report

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

A change of tune was apparent on Monday as the majority of City Council members accepted the accountability report of Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso despite their earlier criticism of the administration's performance in 2003.

Except for the four members of the Justice Party faction, the other 11 factions accepted the annual report, including the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction (PDI-P), the United Development Party faction (PPP) and the National Mandate Party faction (PAN), who last week had said they were going to reject the report.

The Justice Party, which has now changed its name to the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), has consistently condemned what it says are the abundant failures of the administration, including the failure to prevent widespread flooding, reduce unemployment and poverty, provide cheap education and health services to the poor, properly manage sewerage and waste systems and reduce corruption.

Their stance was quickly followed by the other factions.

In explaining his factions surprising change of heart, Maringan Pangaribuan of the PDI-P faction said they had eventually accepted Sutiyoso's report after the faction had split into two groups -- one in favor and one against the report.

"But, you know, that's politics. It's constant change ... We should avoid creating any more enemies in the run-up to the presidential election," Maringan told reporters.

He said Sutiyoso would play a crucial role in ensure that the nearly two million eligible voters who had not yet registered to participate in the July 5 presidential election got themselves registered in time.

Maringan's stance contradicted that of top party executives, who blamed Sutiyoso's aggressive evictions for the party's decline in percentage votes in the April 5 legislative elections.

Currently holding the largest number of seats on the Council, the PDI-P will be the third largest party on the next council after the PKS and the Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, PAN councillor Soleh Rachman divulged that only four out of 12 faction members decided to reject the report.

"Most of the members highlighted the increase in city revenue and increased funding for poor families, besides improved security," Soleh said.

He denied allegations of outside interference.

However, the chairman of the non-governmental organization, the Jakarta Residents Forum, Azas Tigor Nainggolan, deplored the Council's decision to accept the report.

"These are only short-sighted considerations. Their acceptance of the report will backfire on all these parties," Tigor warned.

He said the people, especially poor people who had been evicted from their homes, would not support these parties in the upcoming presidential election.

"The people will not cast their votes for the presidential candidates proposed by these parties ... These parties have simply not learned from past experience," he said.

Organized by Fakta, dozens of residents staged a rally in front of the Council building, urging the Council to reject Sutiyoso's accountability report.

They pointed to his perceived failures to solve the city's problems, like poverty, flooding and traffic congestion.

Sutiyoso's accountability statement was almost rejected in 2002 when he attempted to seek reelection as the city governor for second term. He only managed to do so after he won the support of the three major factions on the Council: the PDI-P, PPP and Golkar Party.