Eman new speaker of Bogor council

BOGOR (JP): Eman Akman of the Golkar faction was elected yesterday as new speaker of the Bogor City Council for the 1997/2002 office term, replacing Eddy Surjaman.

Eman, who hails from Kuningan, West Java, will be assisted by two deputy speakers -- Pulman Hasibuan of the Armed Forces (ABRI) and Zaenal Abidin Uhar of the United Development Party (PPP).

The three were elected unanimously at a plenary session chaired by M. Yasin, oldest of newly elected members of the council, and Maemunah Saladiyah, the youngest member.

Delivering his speech at the session, Bogor Mayor Eddy Gunardi urged council members to stick to the hopes of the people they represented.

"The councilors have to give priority to people's needs, especially the elimination of poverty," he said.

The Bogor City Council has 45 members, with 13 from PPP, 22 from Golkar, nine from ABRI and one from the Indonesian Democratic Party.

They represent about 700,000 residents of Bogor, which covers an area of 11,850 hectares. (24/hhr)