Councilors to cast ballot on voting method

Councilors to cast ballot on voting method

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors on Friday agreed to decide by
ballot on the voting method to be employed for their final
judgment on Governor Sutiyoso's accountability speech next
Monday.

Speaking at a press conference after a coordinating meeting
with the council's 11 factions, council deputy speaker Tarmidi
Suhardjo said: "We have agreed to conduct a ballot on Monday to
decide whether the voting by the councilors on Sutiyoso's
accountability speech will be carried out in a ballot or openly.

"The procedure will require each councillor to write their
judgment on a piece of paper which will be made available on
their desks."

Friday's meeting was attended by 70 of the council's 85
members.

During the meeting, 52 councilors voted for the ballot, 16 for
an open vote while two abstained.

The meeting was held after the councilors failed to reach an
agreement on the matter a day earlier.

During a plenary session on July 20, the councillors had
rejected the governor's accountability speech in an open vote.

Separately, councillor Tjuk Sudono from the National Mandate
Party (PAN), expressed his faction's disappointment with the
results of Friday's meeting.

"PAN has insisted from the beginning that open voting is
important as it is the most reliable way to show the public each
councilor's stance on the governor's performance," he said.

Tjuk views the open voting as a sort of the council's public
accountability.

"We just want to avoid the impression that the councilors are
hiding something," Tjuk said. (lup)