Maj. Gen Sutiyoso wins Jakarta gubernatorial election

JAKARTA (JP): In an unsurprising move, more than 80 percent of city councilors voted for Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso to become the next governor of Jakarta.

The final tally revealed that 62 of the 75 councilors chose Sutiyoso while the remaining 13 members voted for the other two candidates.

Legislator Achmadi received eight nominations and Tb.M. Rais, the city's Deputy Governor of Economic and Development Affairs, racked up five votes.

The three-hour election at the City Council, led by Council Speaker Edy Waluyo and three deputy speakers, was witnessed by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and Director General of Administration and Provincial Autonomy from the Ministry of Home Affairs Oman Sachroni.

Loud applause greeted the first voter, councilor Achmad Suaidy of the United Development Party (PPP), as he checked the ballot paper carefully before entering a closed room to lodge his vote.

Chairmen of the council's four factions -- PPP, Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the Armed Forces (ABRI) -- were on hand to see the first paper inserted into the ballot box.

A round of applause followed the end of counting, with votes for 52-year-old Sutiyoso exceeding those of the other two candidates.

Oman Sachroni checked the results before officially declaring the vote legal.

The results of the vote will be submitted to Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. before being presented to President Soeharto for final approval.

The three nominees had earlier received Soeharto's approval to participate in the election.

In his speech, Surjadi Soedirdja, who was also a former Jakarta military commander, said: "I'm optimistic that only a leader who meets the requirements has been elected because I know there are many people in Jakarta who are willing to do their best for the city," he said.

Surjadi has been rumored as a strong candidate for minister in the next cabinet.

If all goes as planned, Sutiyoso will be installed as Jakarta's eighth governor on Oct. 6.

Born in Semarang, Central Java, on Dec. 6, 1944, Sutiyoso married Setyo Rini in 1974. They have two daughters, Yessi Riana Dilliyanti, 22, and Renny Yofnita Arianto, 17.

Sutiyoso was installed as the 13th Jakarta Military Commander on March 3, 1996.

He spent several years of his career as a senior officer at the elite Kopassus special forces command and the Strategic Army Reserves Command, Kostrad.

Sutiyoso has also taken part in a series of military operations, including those in Kalimantan, East Timor and Aceh.

Beside local military education, Sutiyoso graduated from the Joint Service Staff College in Canberra, Australia, in 1990 and did job training at the Brigade V Airborne in Arnhem, England, in 1987 and the 82nd Airborne division at Fort Bragg in the United States in 1991. (ste)

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