Military faction takes back seat in MPR election
Military faction takes back seat in MPR election
JAKARTA (JP): After chalking up an easy victory for its
nominee for City Council speaker last week, the military/police
faction said on Wednesday it would take a passive role in the
election of city representatives for the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR).
Councilor Col. Gafar Malik said the nine-member military
faction would support whoever was the best of the candidates
nominated by the 10 other factions.
"We will vote for the best candidate," said Gafar, who is also
deputy chairman of the faction.
The 85-member council will meet either on Friday or Monday to
elect the city's five representatives to the Assembly.
Gafar said his faction initially planned to nominate former
city governor Surjadi Soedirdja as a city representative to the
Assembly. "But we canceled the plan after learning that Surjadi
preferred to keep out of politics."
He denied speculation that the decision was part of an
exchange deal for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) to provide 20 of its 30 votes to the military
faction's winning candidate, Maj. Gen. Edy Waluyo, during the
election of the City Council speaker last week.
"It has nothing to do with PDI Perjuangan. We have no such
deal with the party," he said.
Gafar also said it was untrue that the military faction would
support a candidate from the Golkar Party faction, Sjah Manaf,
who is currently a city representative in the Assembly.
Edy Waluyo earlier denied the military faction struck a deal
with PDI Perjuangan.
PDI Perjuangan's councilor Tarmidi Suhardjo has repeatedly
stated that the decision to shift the party faction's 20 votes
was part of a strategy to secure one additional seat in the
Assembly, which is expected to be provided by the military
faction.
Tarmidi said on Monday that his faction would nominate two
party executives for the Assembly's regional representative
faction. "One of our nominees is Hobes Sinaga."
Sources said PDI Perjuangan would also nominate a retired
brigadier general which the military councilors would vote for in
the election.
No PDI Perjuangan councilors were available for comment on
Wednesday.
The council's internal regulations stipulate that each party
faction is allowed to nominate a maximum of five candidates for
the city representatives.
Based on preliminary calculations, PDI Perjuangan, with its 30
council seats, would receive two seats in the Assembly, with the
military, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National
Mandate Party (PAN) factions each gaining one seat.
Secretary of the PAN faction M. Syamsuardi Botan said on
Wednesday that his faction would nominate party executive
Zaenuddin Aziz, who is a Betawi (native Jakartan), for the
Assembly seat.
"It is aimed at accommodating the interests of the Betawi.
None of our 13 councilors are Betawi," Syamsuardi said.
PPP councilor Djafar Badjeber said on Wednesday his faction
would nominate the party's West Jakarta chapter chairman Achmad
Suaidy to represent the city in the Assembly. (jun)
JAKARTA (JP): After chalking up an easy victory for its
nominee for City Council speaker last week, the military/police
faction said on Wednesday it would take a passive role in the
election of city representatives for the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR).
Councilor Col. Gafar Malik said the nine-member military
faction would support whoever was the best of the candidates
nominated by the 10 other factions.
"We will vote for the best candidate," said Gafar, who is also
deputy chairman of the faction.
The 85-member council will meet either on Friday or Monday to
elect the city's five representatives to the Assembly.
Gafar said his faction initially planned to nominate former
city governor Surjadi Soedirdja as a city representative to the
Assembly. "But we canceled the plan after learning that Surjadi
preferred to keep out of politics."
He denied speculation that the decision was part of an
exchange deal for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) to provide 20 of its 30 votes to the military
faction's winning candidate, Maj. Gen. Edy Waluyo, during the
election of the City Council speaker last week.
"It has nothing to do with PDI Perjuangan. We have no such
deal with the party," he said.
Gafar also said it was untrue that the military faction would
support a candidate from the Golkar Party faction, Sjah Manaf,
who is currently a city representative in the Assembly.
Edy Waluyo earlier denied the military faction struck a deal
with PDI Perjuangan.
PDI Perjuangan's councilor Tarmidi Suhardjo has repeatedly
stated that the decision to shift the party faction's 20 votes
was part of a strategy to secure one additional seat in the
Assembly, which is expected to be provided by the military
faction.
Tarmidi said on Monday that his faction would nominate two
party executives for the Assembly's regional representative
faction. "One of our nominees is Hobes Sinaga."
Sources said PDI Perjuangan would also nominate a retired
brigadier general which the military councilors would vote for in
the election.
No PDI Perjuangan councilors were available for comment on
Wednesday.
The council's internal regulations stipulate that each party
faction is allowed to nominate a maximum of five candidates for
the city representatives.
Based on preliminary calculations, PDI Perjuangan, with its 30
council seats, would receive two seats in the Assembly, with the
military, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National
Mandate Party (PAN) factions each gaining one seat.
Secretary of the PAN faction M. Syamsuardi Botan said on
Wednesday that his faction would nominate party executive
Zaenuddin Aziz, who is a Betawi (native Jakartan), for the
Assembly seat.
"It is aimed at accommodating the interests of the Betawi.
None of our 13 councilors are Betawi," Syamsuardi said.
PPP councilor Djafar Badjeber said on Wednesday his faction
would nominate the party's West Jakarta chapter chairman Achmad
Suaidy to represent the city in the Assembly. (jun)