Council gears up for gubernatorial election

MEDAN, North Sumatra: In early preparations to hold the first ever gubernatorial election in June 2003, the council established on Monday a team to collect public input on the criteria for candidates and procedures for the election.

The 19-member Special Committee for Internal Regulations chaired by councillor Maratua Simanjuntak, has 14 days to set a schedule for a series of public hearings.

"We are involving the public in order to give input regarding the criteria and requirements for offices of governor and vice governor. For example, we want to know whether the candidates have to be native Sumatrans. It's important, so the people don't feel they are being ignored," Maratua told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the committee's closed meeting.

The committee will also decide how many pairs of candidates will be allowed to enter the race as candidates or to get support from each faction in the council.

The people insisted on a direct election in order to free the democratic process from money politics.

The Director of Medan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Medan), Irham Buana Nasution, expressed hope the council would hold a public debate to help them weigh the capabilities of each candidate.--JP