Jakarta's governor

The battle for the position of governor of Jakarta has begun. The "defending champion" Sutiyoso seems to be in a favorable position following recent rumors that the President supports him.

Nevertheless, the rejection of Sutiyoso's candidacy has also been voiced loudly, particularly at the grass-roots level. Some critics point to the involvement of Sutiyoso in the July 27 tragedy. As Jakarta's military chief in 1996, Sutiyoso was held responsible for the attack on the head office of the Indonesian Democratic Party, engineered by the New Order administration to damage the popularity of Megawati Soekarnoputri at the time. The critics are also astonished that Megawati now supports him.

Another group has argued that Sutiyoso has no achievement to justify his reelection.

A governor of Jakarta is also required to be more creative and imaginative in solving problems.

Others have also demanded that a governor should have empathy toward the urban poor, who have become the target of evictions over the years. In the absence of empathy and attention, the ill- fated city residents can become a source of social conflicts that can break out at any time.

Considering the above prerequisites, it is not appropriate that support from the President or the rejection by people at the grass-roots tends to emphasize only on some aspects of the qualifications needed by a governor. Giving opportunity to as many candidates as possible would be the best way to net new talent.

-- Koran Tempo, Jakarta