Kahfi clarifies Sutiyoso's trip to Philippines

JAKARTA (JP): Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi clarified yesterday that Governor Sutiyoso's mysterious trip to the Philippines was related to his job and not to attend a junior soccer game.

Kahfi said that Sutiyoso was on a mission to restore the city's image overseas after Jakarta was hit by massive riots in May and to attract foreign investors to return to the city.

"His trip has long been scheduled. Due to investors' doubts to come to the city, the governor considered it necessary to explain the reality of Jakarta.

"His trip has no relation to any soccer game. It is just coincidental that the national junior team is playing in Manila. Is it wrong if he goes there to give moral support to the Indonesian team?" he said.

Sutiyoso's departure for the Philippines on Tuesday afternoon, which occurred without any explanation, was queried by city councilors as it comes at a time when the city is struggling both with the impact of the prolonged crisis and to bring the security situation under control.

On Tuesday the only available information about Sutiyoso's journey came from a source at the city administration who said that Sutiyoso "will attend a junior soccer game".

According to the All Indonesian Soccer Federation, the Philippines is currently hosting the qualifying round for the Under-19 Asia Cup which was scheduled to start Tuesday and last through Sunday.

Kahfi said the trip would be paid for from the city budget.

He understood that the governor had promised not to allocate any budget for official travel this year due to the lack of money in the city budget, "but it doesn't mean that should be motionless."

"For the sake of the people's needs there's still a possibility to travel abroad. Moreover, the trip is to convince the neighboring country that the city's situation (after being rocked by riots) is not as bad as they imagine," he told reporters after, on behalf of Sutiyoso, reading the city administration's replies to councilors' questions on the draft bylaw on the city budget for the 1997/1998 fiscal year.

Councilor Saud Rahman of the United Development Party faction strongly opposed Kahfi's explanation, accusing the deputy governor of just trying to seek an excuse.

"Most ASEAN countries are hit by the economic crisis, so it doesn't make sense if the governor looks for investors there," he said.

Saud also protested the city administration's policy that the governor's trip would be paid for with funds from the city budget.

"I can't understand how he can use funds from city budget to travel abroad, while the administration has just rejected a proposal by city councilors who want to travel to the Thousand Islands, just to the north of here, to observe the uncontrollable land reclamation practices, illegal sand excavation and harvest of coral there," he said.

He said that the observation was planned to be held last week.

"At that time the councilors could understand that there's no funding allocation for the trip to the Thousand Islands. However, why are there suddenly funds for the governor's overseas trip, which is much more expensive?" he said.

However, the head of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction Lukman Mokoginta said that he could accept Kahfi's explanation.

"I don't object the governor's trip if it's related to the city's affairs," he said. (ind)