Governor Surjadi satisfied with election results

Governor Surjadi satisfied with election results

JAKARTA (JP): The final results of the city's general election
showed that the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) managed to
secure one out of the City Council's 75 seats.

At yesterday's signing of an agreement of the results, all
contestants signed, ruling out fears that one party, possibly the
Indonesian Democratic Party, would not sign.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, who is the head of the City
Election Committee, was smiling and looked relieved.

"This accomplishment is the result of Jakartans, three
election contestants, City Election Committee officials and
security officials. We should praise God for having completed the
ballot-counting stage," Surjadi said.

The campaign period had been marred by riots and charges of
cheating.

The committee, he said, had recorded all the election's
shortcomings and accomplishments to improve the next election.

In response to PDI's one council seat, Surjadi said, "What can
be done? This is a national matter. Let experts find the
solution."

The committee's secretary, Bagus Suharyono, said the number of
seats for each contestant had been established following the
completion of ballot counting.

"The number of votes cast in the city reached 6,722,847,"
Bagus said.

There were 7,453,416 registered voters, including 1,781,614
living overseas. Legitimate votes reached 90.04 percent.

Bagus said the total number of votes was then divided by the
60 seats being contested for in the City Council. The remaining
15 seats were reserved for Armed Forces (ABRI) members who do not
vote.

"Each seat at the City Council represents 112,047 votes," he
said.

Bagus said the United Development Party (PPP) secured 19 seats
with 97,711 remaining votes, Golkar 38 seats with 94,417
remaining votes and PDI secured one seat with 7,895 remaining
votes.

Remaining seats

Bagus said, based on government regulation No. 35/1985 on
general elections, remaining seats were given to contestants with
the most remaining votes.

In this case, he said, the remaining two seats went to PPP and
then to Golkar.

"With the remaining seats, PPP will now have 20 council seats,
Golkar 39 seats, PDI one seat and the Armed Forces (ABRI) 15
seats," Bagus said.

Right now Golkar has 31 council seats, PPP 15, PDI 14 and ABRI
15.

In total, 742,443 voters, or 9.96 percent, of Jakartans,
including 65,803 living overseas, did not vote in the general
election.

Bagus said among voters who were abroad and did not vote were
those who did not mail their votes to the nearest election
committee.

"Most of overseas voters, who live in 107 large cities, voted
at polling booths," he said.

Final results showed that Golkar won 64.9 percent, or
4,363,578 City Council votes, PPP got 33.29 percent, or 2,238,376
votes, and PDI got 1.79 percent, or 120,893 votes.

In response to PDI's single council seat, chairman of the PDI
city-chapter, Lukman F. Mokoginta, said PDI would still be
responsible to voters.

However he said with only one seat he feared this would
disturb the efficiency of the council.

Chairman of the ruling party Golkar, Tadjus Sobirin, said the
number of seats gained by each contestant was "not a big deal".

"The number of seats won't affect the council's partnership
with executives," he said.

Rusjdi Hamka, chairman of PPP's city-chapter, said although
the party signed the agreement, future elections should be
guarded against practices such as the intimidation of first-time
voters. Students have cited threats that they would not pass
exams if they did not vote for a certain contestant. (ste)