New council chief installed in Bogor

BOGOR (JP): Mochamad Sahid of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) was elected on Monday to chair the Bogor Legislative Council for the 1999-2004 period.

He came in first place with 13 votes during the one man, one vote poll administered by 43 newly elected local legislators in a plenary session.

Sahid beat out five other candidates, namely Zaenal Amiruddin Uhar of the United Development Party (PPP) faction, Tubagus Tatang Muchtar of Golkar, A. Djoko Mulyono of the Indonesian Military/Police faction, Achmad Ru'yat of the Justice Party and M. Amin Said of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Bogor Mayor R. Iswara Natanegara welcomed Sahid as the new council speaker and reminded legislators to defend people's aspirations, avoid conflict and to not forget to eradicate unemployment in the township.

"Political elites, including party leaders, must focus their attention on local residents and their problems," Iswara said.

A protest also greeted Sahid minutes after he was elected. The demonstrators, staged by some 30 people grouped in the People and Student Movement (Geram), wanted the newly elected speaker to immediately solve a series of cases and problems, including the prolonged dispute at Karang Anyar market and the chronic disorder of Bogor.

"We also want the speaker to summon (former Bogor mayor) Eddy Gunardi and his cronies to question their accountability during his tenure," Syaiful, the spokesman of the group, said.

Sahid replied: "I am ready to defend the people."

In Tangerang, the 45 new councilors agreed on the same day to elect Dadang Kartasasmita of PPP to lead the local legislative office.

The voting was marred with an internal dispute among members of the PDI Perjuangan local chapter, leaving 11 members of the party's faction to be revoked soon. (24/41/edt)