Deputy governor candidate endorsed despite PPP boycott

Deputy governor candidate endorsed despite PPP boycott

JAKARTA (JP): A City Council special plenary session
endorsed Fauzie Alvi Yasin on Wednesday as the sole candidate for
the post of deputy governor of economic and financial affairs,
despite a boycott by members of the United Development Party
faction.

Twenty-one members of the faction boycotted the session
because, according to faction member Ali Imron Husein, approval
for Fauzie Alvi's candidacy from the Ministry of Home Affairs was
received about two hours before the session was held.

Due to the boycott, the session was attended only by 54
councilors.

"PPP members don't have time to hold a meeting to discuss the
capability of Fauzie Alvi for the post ... let alone endorse him
for it," Ali said.

"We have been fooled by the city administration, which claimed
that approval was given in March.

"The approval letter was issued on April 20 and received by
the administration and councilors only today," Ali said, giving
copies of the permit to reporters.

"It was already signed by Edy Waluyo (City Council speaker)
and Fauzi Bowo (city secretary) and stated that all city
councilors endorsed the candidacy of Fauzie Alvi as deputy
governor. This is manipulation of democracy," Ali said.

Councilor Afif Hamka said the approval letter from the
Ministry of Home Affairs clearly stated that endorsement had to
be given by all city councilors, not the council speaker alone.

Other PPP councilors said their refusal to attend the session
was also meant to express their disapproval of Sutiyoso's
decision to name only one candidate for the post.

The position, temporarily held by deputy governor of
development affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi, has been vacant since the
middle of last year after the then deputy governor of economic
and financial affairs Harun Al Rasyid was promoted to governor of
West Nusa Tenggara.

Fauzie Alvi is currently assistant to the city secretary in
charge of administrative affairs.

Sutiyoso announced in February he would nominate Fauzie Alvi
as the only candidate for the post after six potential candidates
were screened by the Position and Stratification Advisory Body.

The five other nominees were city secretary Fauzi Bowo, head
of the city's Development Planning Board Bambang Sungkono, head
of city investment management Maskup Ustianto, head of the city
inspectorate Sutardjianto and head of the PPP faction in the City
Council Achmad Suaidy.

Sutiyoso's announcement was opposed by the PPP councilors, who
demanded the process be based on newly endorsed Law No. 4/1999 on
the formation and position of the People's Consultative Assembly,
the House of Representatives and regional councils.

The law states that the City Council has the authority to
elect the governor and deputy governors.

According to Afif, the boycott had nothing to do with the fact
that Achmad was not named a candidate for the post.

"It's simply because administration officials are following
the 1974 law which states that the City Council only has the
right to approve candidates chosen by the administration."

Afif added that the era of reform should uphold democracy and
not follow laws applied during the New Order rule.

Ali acknowledged that despite the boycott the session was
technically "legitimate". But it was up to the public to
determine its legitimacy.

"Let the public decide whether this was a legitimate session
or not." (ylt)