Gubernatorial candidates to be screened in camera
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After being criticized for discriminating against some gubernatorial candidates, a number of the City Council's factions are inviting candidates for governor and vice governor to attend closed-door screening meetings to explain their policies and visions for the capital.
The National Mandate Party (PAN) faction began screening candidates on Wednesday.
"Due to the small room, we decided that the meetings are closed," faction member Wasilah Sutrisno said before meeting with one gubernatorial candidate, City Secretary Fauzi Bowo.
Wasilah said her faction, the second-largest in the council with 13 seats, decided to give all of the candidates the opportunity to discuss their ideas and visions for the city.
For three days, the councillors will quiz candidates about a wide range of topics, including how to handle the problems of garbage, poverty and transportation in the city.
The current governor, Sutiyoso, becak (pedicab) driver Rasdullah and Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Djailani are among the candidates who will be invited to meet with the faction on Thursday.
Wasilah said the faction would invite all candidates to take part in the screening process, including those who do not meet all of the requirements laid out in the regulation on gubernatorial elections. This includes Rasdullah, who does not meet the requirement that a gubernatorial candidate must have at least a high school education.
"We will tell them that they do not fulfill the requirements after the meeting," she said.
Not all of the factions plan to screen every candidate.
The Justice Party has issued invitations to only 10 candidates, the Indonesian Military/Police faction 65 candidates and the former ruling Golkar Party 42 candidates.
It is still unclear whether the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) will screen any of the candidates. The party's central board has already nominated Sutiyoso as its sole gubernatorial candidate. This decision revealed rifts in the party, with some members refusing to accede to the central board's wishes and support Sutiyoso.
It is unclear whether the United Development Party (PPP), which has also thrown its weight behind Sutiyoso, will screen the candidates.
PDI Perjuangan, which is chaired by President Megawati Soekarnoputri, is the largest faction in the council with 30 seats, while PPP has 12 seats, making it the council's third- largest faction.
Dani Anwar of the Justice Party said his faction had asked to meet with 10 candidates, who were chosen based on criteria established at an earlier party meeting.
"We invited candidates who are Betawi (native Jakartans) and have a high degree of intelligence and morality," Dani said on Wednesday.
Among the 10 candidates that will be given the opportunity to meet with the faction are former state minister of women's empowerment Tuti Alawiyah, Fauzi Bowo, Djailani and former legislator Ridwan Saidi.
Dani said his party had decided not to meet with Sutiyoso, who is a former Jakarta Military commander, and council chairman Maj. Gen. Edy Waluyo because of their military backgrounds.
"We are committed to civil supremacy, which is the spirit of the reform movement," he said.
According to the regulations on gubernatorial elections, the 11 factions on the council will select 22 pairs of gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates. These candidates will then be asked to attend a plenary session of the council to explain their policies and visions. The session will be open to the public.