Governorship race heats up, Fauzi may come under fire

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With several months still remaining before the next governor of Jakarta is elected in October, one possible candidate might find himself out of the race.

Soehandoyo of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office indicated on Thursday that City Secretary Fauzi Bowo, whose name has been bandied about for the governorship, might be named a suspect in the Ancol graft scandal.

Three people already have been named as suspects in the case: Tarmidi Suhardjo and Tarmidi Edy Suwarno from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), and Ali Imron Hussein from the United Development Party (PPP).

Speaking in his office on Thursday, Soehandoyo said two more suspects would be named in the Ancol scandal.

"(The suspects) are likely to be Fauzi Bowo and Herman Prajogo," he said, without explaining who Herman Prajogo was or his connection to the matter.

There is no city official or city councillor named Herman Prajogo.

However, Soehandoyo went back on statement later in the day. He told reporters at City Hall that he never said Fauzi would be named a suspect in the scandal.

The Ancol scandal revolves around a controversial foreign trip taken by several city officials and councillors in 2000 for a comparative study of waterfront cities. The trip was financed by the city budget, but those taking part in the study also accepted money they should not have from city-owned PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, which planned to develop the waterfront in Ancol.

And several officials and councillors who did not go on the trip also received money.

Fauzi, a civilian bureaucrat, has received the backing of the Betawi Collective Body in the gubernatorial election. Many observers see him as a strong contender to replace Sutiyoso.

Other names being discussed for the governorship include State Intelligence Agency chief Lt. Gen. (ret) A.M. Hendropriyono, the former head of the Udayana Military Command, Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, and the current Jakarta Military Commander, Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo.

Sutiyoso has stated he is willing to be nominated for a second term despite fierce public criticism over his failure to manage the recent flooding or to resolve the city's garbage problems.

Sutiyoso, a former Jakarta Military commander, is also associated by some parties with the attack on the Jakarta headquarters of the Indonesia Democratic Party on July 27, 1997.

Several civilians have been tried for the incident.

The Jakarta Police announced last week they would submit the dossiers of several suspects in the case to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office. They did not name the suspects.