Minister rejects Sunarto's impeachment

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno rejected the recent impeachment by the Surabaya legislative assembly of Mayor Sunarto Sumaprawiro, saying Sunarto was still the legitimate mayor.

"Although the legislative assembly has impeached Mayor Sunarto, the problem remains whether the decision is acceptable to the Ministry of Home Affairs or not," Antara quoted the minister as saying here on Sunday.

The legislative assembly last week impeached Sunarto because he was considered to be no longer capable of performing his day- to-day duties after being absent for several months while receiving medical treatment overseas. The Surabaya legislature appointed Deputy Mayor Bambang D.H. as the new mayor.

Hari warned that at present only the home affairs minister had the authority to appoint and discharge mayors and not the relevant legislative assemblies.

"It's not a matter of supporting or of not supporting, nor one of liking or disliking. The legislative assembly should have established a team to determine whether Sunarto was no longer capable of performing his duties so as to allow the legislature to propose to the home affairs minister a reshuffle in the city administration," he said.

Referring to the 1999 Law on Regional Autonomy, Hari said that mayors and regents could be discharged only if they were found guilty of a crime during their tenure.

He said he hoped the legislative assembly would review its decision on Sunarto's impeachment.

Meanwhile, Surabaya legislators are ignoring the home affairs ministry's statement, saying the legislative assembly's decision on the impeachment was final.

"The decision is final and it's impossible for the legislative assembly to hold a special session to annul it," Herman Rivai, a member of the Surabaya legislature, said when asked about his response to the home affairs minister's statement.

Herman said further that the impeachment had been conducted in accordance with the official procedures and had been supported by a majority of the legislative assembly members.

"The impeachment is not a proposal but a decision which was made by a plenary session in accordance with the law. The legislative assembly has the power to make such a decision," he said.

He questioned the use of regional autonomy if the legislative assembly lacked the power to make such a decision, or if the minister had the authority to annul decisions of the legislative assembly.

Herman, also a member of the joint faction in the legislative assembly, called on Hari Sabarno to refrain from making any more comments on Sunarto's impeachment before receiving an official report from the city legislature.

The Surabaya legislative assembly was scheduled to meet with the home minister here on Tuesday for the purpose of receiving its report on the mayor's impeachment.