Edy unveils plan to join governor's election race

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police faction of the City Council has stated that it will not nominate any gubernatorial candidate. But Maj. Gen. Edy Waluyo, a faction member who is also chairman of the council, announced on Friday his readiness to join the gubernatorial race.

"I will register myself sometime next week," said Edy, whose faction has nine seats in the council.

When asked by reporters why he wanted to join the gubernatorial race, he simply said that it was his right to do so.

Edy has reportedly received approval from Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Bibit Waluyo to run in the election, which will be held on Sept. 17.

According to the election regulation, a military/police officer or a civil servant who wants to become a governor should seek approval from their superior.

Edy, who was born in Klaten, Central Java, in 1945, was a district military commander in West Java. His last position before being posted in the city council was deputy head of the human resources development at military headquarters.

Edy said on Friday that gubernatorial candidates should not deploy supporters to the council.

"Most of the supporters were not "pure" when voting. A candidate who has a lot of money could pay supporters or set up organizations to support him," he said.

It seemed he was referring to the hundreds of people who flocked to the council to express their support for Governor Sutiyoso earlier in the day.

Hundreds of people from two organizations, the Red-and-White Front (BMP) and the Jakarta Society Alliance (AMJ) visited the council to show their support for Sutiyoso's reelection.

At least nine organizations have declared their support for Sutiyoso since registration began on Monday.

However Sutiyoso, who earlier received "the green light" from President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz, said on Friday he would decide whether to run for the election or not next week.

"I'm still waiting for more support from the public. If I get more support, I will run for the election," he told reporters.

Sutiyoso, a former Jakarta Military Commander, said that other candidates should not be discouraged by the fact he was supported by Megawati who is also chairwoman of the largest Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Hamzah who is also chairman of the United Development Party (PPP).

Sutiyoso's candidacy is controversial because he was earlier named a suspect in a bloody attack on Megawati's party headquarters in Central Jakarta on July 27, 1996.

Besides Edy and (ret) Lt. Gen.Sutiyoso, TNI spokesman Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoedin, who held the post of Jakarta Military Commander after Sutiyoso, was also reportedly nominated by TNI Headquarters for City Governor.

Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Maj. Gen (ret) Djaelani, who is a retired army major general and doctor, will also be competing at the election.