Council rejects call to hire ex-councilors

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors rejected on Friday a plan to hire former councilors to assist the City Council's five commissions, and instead requested the help of independent experts to provide the council with alternative solutions to city problems.

"We'll reject them. The former councilors will only continue covering mistakes made during their terms in office," Chudlary Safi'i Hazami of the United Development Party (PPP) said.

He accused the former councilors of concealing details of the council's several unfinished tasks, including the renegotiation of a water treatment management agreement between PDAM Jaya and two foreign partners.

"In the previous term, only two or three councilors knew about the renegotiation deal. Now, they are trying to approach Council leaders to ask for jobs," he said.

Chudlary, a member of the Council's Commission C for financial affairs, declined to mention their names, but he was likely referring to Ali Wongso Sinaga, Nitra Arsyad, Lukman F. Mokoginta and Wien H. Ritola.

Ali, Nitra, Lukman and Wien established Institute for Research on City Empowerment on Aug. 25, the same day the city's new councilors were sworn in.

The former councilors said they wanted to help solve various city problems as the city's consultants.

Binsar Tambunan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) shared Chudlary's opinion, saying that independent experts were needed to help solve various kinds of city problems.

"The former councilors will not be much different from us. What we really need are experts," said Binsar, who is also chairman of the Council's administration affairs Commission A.

Council speaker Edy Waluyo said expert staff were needed to help the councilors with their duties.

"Their presence is guaranteed in the 1999 Law on the Structure and Composition of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)/the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Council.

While neglecting to reveal their names, Edy suggested that the expert staff should be hired on a temporary rather than a permanent basis.

"But, it will completely depend on the councilors to decide. They could also hire the staff permanently if they wanted," Edy said on Friday.

The councilors, however, differed in observing the terms for expert staff.

Binsar said he would prefer to employ expert staff on a permanent basis, while Chudlary said they should not be hired permanently as they would be a burden for the council in the long term.

Chudlary said: "It's our duty as councilors to also understand the problems of the city," he said.

Both Chudlary and Binsar agreed that the commissions should prioritize the deliberation of the city's problems, including the water management deal between the City Water Company (PDAM Jaya) and two foreign firms -- Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) and Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja), bus fare hikes, garbage management and city parking. (jun)