Gubernatorial candidates blast council

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Most of the 114 gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates expressed their disappointment over the City Council's plenary session on Thursday, which deprived them of the chance to present their individual visions and missions. During the two-hour session, the election committee only introduced the candidates by name in front of the city's 85 councillors.

"We are very disappointed. We were not given any chance to deliver our vision and mission," said one of the candidates, Hasan Saman, who introduced himself as the coordinator of the Gubernatorial Candidate Forum.

Saman, who also claimed to represent 50 of the candidates, said most of them thought that they would be invited to deliver their vision and mission.

He said he and his fellow candidates would sue the council for implementing an unfair election regulation that did not allow all candidates to present their vision, urging the court to scrap the regulation.

Performing artist Ratna Sarumpaet, who registered herself as a gubernatorial candidate, made the same threat, saying that all candidates should have the chance to present their mission and vision to the council members.

According to election regulations, the council's 11 factions would choose 22 pairs of candidates for governor and vice governor.

The 22 pairs of candidates would be invited to deliver their missions and visions in front of the City Council's plenary session on Aug. 6.

It is believed that the council held the meeting in an effort to make the election process appear transparent and democratic. The election is scheduled for Sept. 17.

Meanwhile, election committee deputy chairman Ibnu Sumantri claimed that the gubernatorial election was being held in accordance with government regulation No. 151/2000 on gubernatorial elections.

"It is alright if the candidates want to sue us. But they should also sue the central government," Ibnu from the Indonesian Military (TNI)/National Police faction said.

Besides Saman and Ratna, other candidates, including incumbent Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, city secretary Fauzi Bowo and becak (pedicab) driver Rasdullah also attended the session.

Only a few candidates were absent on Thursday, including the Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Djailani and West Nusa Tenggara Governor Harun Alrasyid, for reasons which were unclear.