Council sets up ethics watch

Council sets up ethics watch

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Council inaugurated on Thursday its newly established
Ethics Committee, a body created to improve the conduct and
discipline of councillors.

"Two months from now, the committee must have completed its
first task -- to draw up a Council Code of Ethics, which will
carry a maximum administrative sanction of dismissal," speaker
Ade Surapriatna said when he addressed the inauguration ceremony.

The seven-strong committee has representatives from each
council faction.

The members are Aliman A'at from Democratic Party, Muhamad
Nakoem from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P),
Gandhi Sultani from the Golkar Party, Thamrin from the National
Mandate Party (PAN), Selamat Nurdin from the Prosperous Justice
Party (PKS), Muhamad Ruslu from the United Development Party
(PPP) and Ahmad Nur Alam Bachtiar from the Reform Awakening
Party.

A councillor from Democratic Party, Lucky P Sastrawiria, said
the committee would monitor council activities and ensure
councillors attended compulsory meetings.

"It could also operate as a mediator should a councillor be
involved in a dispute," he was quoted as saying by the city's
official news portal Beritajakarta.com.