Factions to decide on governor, deputy pairs
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Even though the list of candidates for Jakarta governor and deputy governor is in the hands of the Governorship Election Committee, it is the factions in the City Council that will nominate the governor and deputy governor in pairs.
The factions will have the right to change the "status" of a deputy governor candidate into a governor candidate, and a governor candidate into a deputy governor candidate, Election Committee chairman Muhammad Suwandi said.
The latest data at the committee at the City Council shows that there are 72 gubernatorial candidates and 47 deputy gubernatorial candidates.
Each of the council's 11 factions will select two pairs of governor and deputy governor candidates at the most.
"Therefore, at the most, there will be 22 pairs of governor and deputy governor candidates in the first phase of the gubernatorial election process," said Suwandi.
Suwandi, who replaced Edy Waluyo as chairman of the Election Committee after Edy registered for the gubernatorial election, said each faction would talk with its candidates before deciding on their nomination.
Registration for gubernatorial candidates took place between June 10 to June 21.
According to election procedures, the candidates will be short-listed by the council's 11 factions between July 16 and Aug. 5. Each faction will examine whether the registered candidates meet the election requirements.
Each faction will then screen each candidate, taking into account their capability and personality.
The candidates will be required to state their vision and mission as well as their platform before a plenary session of the City Council.
At the plenary session, there will be a question and answer session between councillors and the candidates.
One pair of candidates for governor and deputy governor can be nominated by more than one faction.
The selection of the candidates are made by both the council leaders and the faction leaders.
Candidates who have been approved by the council cannot withdraw their candidacy unless they or their running partner has a permanent disability.
The council and faction leaders will then submit the names to the President through the home minister.
The election will be held on Sept. 17, when the 84 city councillors from the 11 factions will vote in a secret ballot.
The factions with a majority in the council are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (30 seats), the National Mandate Party (13 seats), the United Development Party (12 seats), the Indonesian Military/Police (nine seats) and the Golkar Party (eight seats).
Prominent candidates
1. Sutiyoso: Incumbent governor; 2. Fauzi Bowo: City secretary; 3. Harun Al Rasyid: West Nusa Tenggara governor; 4. Edy Waluyo: City Council chairman; 5. Tarmidi Suhardjo: Head of PDI Perjuangan Jakarta chapter; 6. Abdul Kahfi: Deputy governor for administrative affairs; 7. Syamsu Djalal: Former military police commander; 8. Dadang Hamdani: PDI Perjuangan councillor; 9. Marco Hamento Kusumawidjaja: Urban planner; 10.Djaelani: Deputy governor for people's welfare