Factional fighting flares for plum commission posts

Factional fighting flares for plum commission posts

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The seven factions of City Council are gearing up to battle it
out for the chairmanships of five commissions on Monday. The
factions are particularly eying the chairmanship of Commission E
on people's welfare, health and education, aside from Commission
D on development affairs and Commission A on legal and
administrative affairs.

"Many factions are keen to chair Commission E in an effort to
secure a place in the hearts of Jakartans before the direct
gubernatorial election in 2007," said councillor Agus Darmawan of
the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction.

The election of the commissions' chairmen is scheduled to take
place after Monday's swearing-in ceremony of Council Speaker Ade
Surapriatna from the Golkar Party faction and his deputies Ahmad
Heryawan of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction and Ilal
Ferhard of the Democratic Party faction.

The PKS faction, which has a majority 18 seats but failed in
its bid for the council speaker's post, said earlier it sought to
place one of its councillors as Commission E chairman and its
deputies or secretaries as heads of the four other commissions.

Heryawan lost to Ade in the Sept. 17 election for council
speaker by 42 votes to 30. Although the PKS had support from the
Democratic Party, the latter party admitted some of its
councillors "betrayed" the coalition by voting for Ade instead.

Dani Anwar, who has been nominated by PKS as the Commission E
chairmanship candidate, is optimistic about his chances upon the
support promised by councillors of the Democratic Party and PAN.

"We will fight for the chairmanship, but we are aware that we
must arrive at a compromise to establish a cooperation with other
factions," he said.

Dani will compete against Achmad Suaidy from the United
Development Party (PPP), who is likely to be supported by the
Golkar Party faction as payback for PPP's supporting Ade.

"Six factions gave us their support (in the council
speakership election). The Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) wants the
Commission D post, so we still need to help five other factions
to secure top posts in the other commissions," said Golkar Party
faction chairman Inggard Joshua.

Golkar seeks a post in Commission A, but not the chairmanship.
"We are content with the council speaker post," he said.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the third
largest faction, said it was aiming for the Commission D
chairmanship.

"PDI-P wants Commission D because we have councillors who have
expertise in development and transportation affairs," faction
chairman Maringan Pangaribuan told reporters.