Council moves to make election appear democratic

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In response to mounting criticism that it was being undemocratic, the City Council finally decided on Wednesday to invite all 114 gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates to a attend a plenary session where they could present their visions and missions to the councillors.

However, activists doubted that the session would affect the stance of the council's 11 factions as they already had their own candidates.

"I've received an invitation to attend the plenary session on Thursday. But it's just a formality to make the election look democratic," said lawyer and women's activist Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, who had earlier registered herself as a vice gubernatorial candidate.

She said that during the plenary session the candidates could speak but would not be allocated a set period of time each to address the councillors.

Carel T., from the Jakarta Residents' Forum (Fakta), who is also registered as a vice gubernatorial candidate, shared Nursyahbani's view, saying that he also doubted the councillors' seriousness in holding the session.

The gubernatorial election regulation states that the council's 11 factions can choose up to a maximum of 22 pairs of candidates. The 22 pairs, according to the bylaw, could then be invited to present their missions and visions for the city.

Activists had earlier deplored the council for not inviting all the candidates, calling the election process nothing more than a circus.

The election committee chairman M. Suwardi claimed on Wednesday that the council intended to listen to all of the candidates even though the regulation did not oblige it to do so.

"We hope that we can get to know the candidates better," Suwardi, who is also the council's deputy chairman and a councillor from the National Mandate Party, told reporters.

However, the election, which is scheduled for Sept. 17, will be decided by the city's 85 councillors. The largest faction on the council, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which has 30 seats, already has its own candidate for city governor: The incumbent, Sutiyoso.

The third largest party on the council, the United Development Party (PPP), which has 12 seats, is reportedly also supporting Sutiyoso, while the former ruling party, Golkar, which has eight seats, nominated Sutiyoso as governor and the current city secretary, Fauzi Bowo, as vice governor.