Jakarta could see a direct gubernatorial election

Kurniawan Hari and Fabiola Desi Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta could see a direct election for the next governor if the House of Representatives' (DPR) plan to revise Law No. 34/1999 on Jakarta's provincial administration materializes soon.

Chairman of the House's Legislation Body (Baleg), Zein Badjeber, submitted the draft of the law revision on Wednesday to the House secretary-general Sitti Nurhajati Daud.

According to Zein, the draft revision was supported by 21 legislators from various factions.

Among the signatories were Manasse Malo of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Nyoman Gunawan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Tumbu Sarawasati of PDI Perjuangan.

"It will be announced at a plenary meeting tomorrow (Thursday)," Zein told The Jakarta Post here on Wednesday.

He revealed that after the law was revised, it would be the legal basis for a direct gubernatorial election for the capital city.

Zein, a senior politician of the United Development Party (PPP), hoped the revision could be passed into law in October during which President Megawati Soekarnoputri would appoint an acting governor to replace Sutiyoso.

The acting governor of Jakarta would have the task of making preparations for a direct gubernatorial election. "The election can be held in May next year at the latest," Zein added.

According to him, the revision of Law No. 34/1999 was in line with the wishes of the people as shown in the statement issued by the association of provincial legislative councils during its meeting in Bangka recently.

Although legislators' hopes are high, current realities would make it too difficult to have a direct gubernatorial election in Jakarta.

Sutiyoso's tenure will end in October, and the City Council is scheduled to elect a new governor in September.

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said Jakarta deserved to have a different regulation for gubernatorial elections as the capital city and the President should know the candidates for the position.

"However, the role of the President is simply to check the background of each candidate while the election remains in the hands of the City Council," Hari said.

The minister was commenting the difference between regulations in connection with the gubernatorial election in Jakarta, where the President should be informed of the names of the candidates before the election.

Such a regulation does not apply to other provinces where the President only receives the name of the future governor and then signs the decree for his or her installation.

Hari maintained that the President would not interfere in the election and such a regulation was not against the Autonomy Law that gives full authority to the City Council to elect a governor.

"Furthermore, it was the decision of the City Council to give the names of the candidates," he remarked.