Gian still authorized to hold his speaker post

TANGERANG (JP): Tangerang mayor H.M. Thamrin asserted on Monday that he is still acknowledging Gian Sugiharsono as speaker of Tangerang (Mayoralty) Legislative Council despite reports that Gian was among members facing expulsion from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

"Gian is (still) legally the speaker of the mayoralty legislature as the Banten governor has neither issued any letter regarding Gian's removal from his post, or his membership from the party," Thamrin said on Monday.

"Therefore we do not have any reason not to acknowledge him as a council speaker," he added.

Thamrin further said that he only knew about Gian's possible dismissal from newspaper reports.

"If the matter lingers, it is the Banten governor who has the authority to handle it."

"Now that Banten is a province, based on Law No.23/2000 on the formation of Banten Province, Tangerang is now part of Banten. Gian's matter is the business of Banten and not the West Java governor," Thamrin asserted.

Gian said that he would file a lawsuit once he received the dismissal letter from his party.

"PDI Perjuangan never gave me the chance to explain my side of the story. It is also possible that the party chapter has issued a misleading report on me," Gian said.

Gian Sugiharsono was reportedly put on a list of errant PDI Perjuangan members facing expulsion from the party.

Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri had earlier said that 14 members of the party would be dismissed and 28 others would be discharged from their posts for "tarnishing the party's image and that of the legislature."

Golkar Party, PDI Perjuangan and the United Development Party (PPP) in the Tangerang mayoralty council earlier filed a no confidence motion against Gian over his decision on April 24, 2000 to approve a project involving 72 hectares of land in Koang Jaya subdistrict, without following the legislature's procedures. (41/edt)