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.