Iswara installed Bogor mayor

BOGOR (JP): Bogor mayoralty secretary R. Iswara Natanegara has been appointed mayor for a five-year term, replacing Eddy Gunardi.

The 51-year-old Padjajaran University graduate was installed as the 16th mayor of the town on Wednesday by West Java Governor R. Nuriana.

Eddy ended his tenure on March 7.

Iswara, born in Purwakarta, West Java, was elected from two other candidates, Usman Zakaria and Rumawan Sadli.

In his speech, Nuriana said he wanted the new mayor to support a series of programs launched by the provincial government. These included helping local people to overcome negative ramifications of the crippling economic crisis.

"I hope the new mayor could expedite, supervise and control the programs in order to reach the target," he said. Bogor is an hour's drive from Jakarta.

Nuriana also urged him to pay serious attention to problems of population, employment, housing and transportation.

"I ask the mayor to coordinate with the Bogor regency administration to handle those problems," he said. (24/jun)