Hamengkubuwono X to send team to talks

Hamengkubuwono X to send team to talks

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Yogyakarta's Sultan Hamengkubuwono X is to
set up a small team to represent the sultanate palace in talks
with the government aimed at drafting a presidential decree
covering gubernatorial succession in the special province.

President B.J. Habibie has agreed to set up a joint team with
representatives from the palace, the Ministry of Home Affairs and
the State Secretariat to end the controversy over
Hamengkubuwono's appointment as Yogyakarta governor in place of
the aging Sri Paku Alam VIII.

The sultan has reiterated that his appointment should be based
on Law No. 3/1950 which covers the selection of governor for the
special province, while the government believes the appointment
should be based on Law No. 5/1974 which limits a governor's term
in office to a maximum of two periods.

The Yogyakarta provincial legislative council recently put
forward Hamengkubuwono as its sole candidate for governor.

He said he had no intention of being governor for life and
that his nomination by the legislative council was based on Law
No. 3/1950.

"Of most importance in this case is that I will not become
governor for life. The term I spend in office will depend on the
joint team," he said after attending a seminar on foreign
investment here on Saturday.

Reliable sources at the palace said the sultan had asked
Ichlasul Amal, who is rector of the University of Gadjah Mada,
and Koento Wibisono, the chairman of the association of the
university's alumni (Kagama), to join the team.

Sri Paku Alam's appointment as Yogyakarta governor was also
based on Law No. 3/1950.

The law stipulates that governors in the special province must
come from the royal family and be appointed directly by the
president through a presidential decree. (44)