Four pairs to vie for C. Java governorship
Four pairs to vie for C. Java governorship
Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang
Four pairs of candidates will contest the gubernatorial election
in Central Java province, scheduled for July 24.
They were selected from 32 candidates registered to vie for
the posts of governor and deputy governor.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
the largest faction in the Central Java legislative council, has
nominated the pair of Mardijo and Hisyam Alie.
The incumbent governor, Mardiyanto, paired with Ali Mufiz,
will stand for reelection on a ticket from the National Awakening
Party (PKB).
Other candidates are the pair of H.S. Kirbiantoro and Hisyam
Alie supported the United Development Party (PPP), and Hadi
Pranoto and Djoko Wahyudi nominated by the National Mandate Party
(PAN).
All the gubernatorial candidates will scramble to get as many
of the 100 votes from the provincial legislative council a they
can.
Mardijo and his running mate are expected to win the support
of the 43 councillors from PDI Perjuangan, and Mardiyanto and Ali
Mufiz will likely seize at least 16 votes from the PKB.
Meanwhile, Kirbiantoro and his running mate will likely be
supported by all 12 members of the PPP faction, and Hadi Pranoto
and Djoko Wahyudi are expected to pocket seven votes from PAN.
Based on electoral procedure, no candidate is allowed to
withdraw in middle of the race, according to deputy council
speaker Thoyfoer M.C.
"The council will not approve any request by a candidate to
withdraw from the election," he said.
Thoyfoer said the names of the four pairs would soon be
submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs for endorsement by
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Before the election, each candidate has to present his vision
and mission through the mass media, Thoyfoer said.
Rumors of vote-buying have already begun to circulate in
Central Java.
To prevent vote-buying, it has been suggested that all 100
members of the council be isolated hours before the election.