Direct gubernatorial elections OK, but not this time around: Sutiyoso
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
City Governor Sutiyoso and several councillors agreed on Thursday to the proposal for a direct gubernatorial election here, but expressed doubts that it could be applied in the next election due to time constraints and the lack of political will.
"I agree with a direct gubernatorial election, but do we have enough time the prepare the law and regulations?" Sutiyoso told reporters.
The House of Representatives submitted a revision to Law No. 34/1999 on Jakarta's administration to the House of Representatives' secretary-general Sitti Nurhajati Daud on Wednesday.
In the proposed revised law, the gubernatorial election here would be conducted directly, instead of the current election conducted by the city councillors.
The gubernatorial election will be held on Sept. 17.
Separately, council deputy chairman M. Suwardi, from the National Mandate Party (PAN) said that the House and the government lacked the "political will" for a direct gubernatorial election since the largest faction PDI Perjuangan and President Megawati had nominated Sutiyoso for the next governor.
Since Megawati and PDI Perjuangan have supported the reelection of Sutiyoso, it would be unlikely that Megawati would issue a presidential decree to appoint an acting governor to replace Sutiyoso, he said.
The House's legislation body chairman Zein Badjeber said on Wednesday that the direct election could be conducted by at least May next year, after the law is revised in October.
Zein said Megawati could appoint an acting governor, replacing Sutiyoso. The acting governor would be responsible for preparing the direct election.
He said the direct gubernatorial election could be conducted at the latest in 2007.
Councillor Ahmad Heryawan, who is also chairman of the Justice Party's city chapter, said the council would be ready for a direct election as soon as the regulations had been prepared.
"In principle, we are ready for a direct election, if the law and regulations have been prepared," Heryawan told reporters.
He said a governor who was elected through a direct election would be more legitimate than one chosen by 85 councillors.
The next gubernatorial election will be decided by the councillors, if existing regulations do not change.
PDI Perjuangan has 30 seats in the council, the National Mandate Party 13 seats, the United Development Party 12 seats, the Indonesian Military (TNI)/National Police faction nine seats, the Golkar Party eight seats and the remaining seats belong to several smaller parties.