Deputy governor post to be filled

Deputy governor post to be filled

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday that he would
appoint one of his subordinates as deputy governor for economic
and financial affairs as the position has been vacant for about
six months.

Sutiyoso said the plan was made because the city budget for
the 1999/2000 fiscal year was expected to be bigger than the
current budget. This would mean an increase in the duties of the
unfilled position, temporarily being handled by deputy governor
for development affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi.

"We need someone who will concentrate on the economic and
financial issues," the governor said.

"One thing for sure is that the position will be held by a
civil servant (and not an official from the Armed Forces). I have
instructed officials from the position and stratification
advisory body to process the candidacy," he said.

However, he refused to give details on the possible candidates
and the date for the announcement of the candidacy. "The body
will work hard to choose one name," was all he said.

Sutiyoso said that once someone was nominated, the
administration would submit the nominee to the City Council for
approval and then the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"I hope there will no longer be any kind of intervention from
'above'," he said.

Several senior city officials rumored to be eligible for the
vacant position are: Maskup Ustianto, head of the city investment
management agency; Bambang Sungkono, head of the city development
planning board; Sutardjianto, head of the city inspectorate
office and Fauzi Bowo, the city secretary.

In August last year, after then deputy governor for economic
and financial affairs Harun Rasyid was promoted to governor of
West Nusa Tenggara, Sutiyoso decided that the position would
remain vacant for efficiency considerations.

However, the decision drew mixed reactions from city
councilors, who insisted that the governor of such a big capital
city, beset by various complicated problems, be assisted by four
deputies to enable them to fully concentrate on their respective
areas in details.

But Sutiyoso insisted at that time: "If the city used to have
only one deputy governor for both economic and development
affairs, why don't we do the same now?"

The city administration previously had three deputy governors
for social welfare, administrative affairs and economic and
development affairs.

In September 1997, the economic and development affairs
position was split into two -- economic and financial affairs and
development affairs -- by then governor Surjadi Soedirdja.

Separately, head of the City Council Edy Waluyo told reporters
on Friday that the council would wait for the results of the
advisory body's work.

Meanwhile, head of City Council's Commission C for financial
affairs Amarullah Asbah confirmed that the 1999/2000 budget fro
the capital would increase from Rp 1.75 trillion at present to
about Rp 2.5 trillion.

The increase, he said, was made possible by the intensified
collection of taxes on transfer of vehicle ownership and fuel.

"We are optimistic that the city revenue projection would
exceed the target due to the successful intensification project,"
he said. (ind)