JP/8/Demo

JP/8/Demo

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Hundreds of university students demonstrated in front of the
Jakarta City Council building on Wednesday to protest against
incumbent Governor Sutiyoso's reelection bid.

Demonstrator Syarif Effrina, from Jakarta State University
(UNJ), said councillors should not be reelect Sutiyoso on Sept.
11 as he was inept, among other things.

"He has failed at being a good governor so far, why should the
council reelect him," said another demonstrator on Jl. Kebon
Sirih.

The 200 demonstrators, from a number of universities,
comprised students from the Student Executives Body (BEM) and the
Anti-Obscenity Front (FAM).

In its statement, BEM stressed that Sutiyoso did not deserve
to be reelected for another five-year term.

"He is part of the New Order regime and the military, which
were involved in human rights violations.

"The next Jakarta governor must be a clean and honest figure,
and for reform," the statement said.

Sutiyoso appears to be the strongest gubernatorial candidate
after winning support from President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who
has ordered 30 councillors from her Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction in the City Council to vote
for him.

Megawati, through the PDI Perjuangan's central board, also
threatened administrative sanctions against those who violated
her instructions.

Sutiyoso, who is paired with vice gubernatorial candidate City
Secretary Fauzi Bowo, is also supported by eight councillors from
the Golkar party faction and some of the nine councillors from
the military-police faction.

Other potential candidates include chairman of Jakarta's PDI
Perjuangan chapter Tarmidi Suhardjo, paired with Abdillah Toha,
and Council Chairman Edy Waluyo who is paired with Ahmad Suaidy.