New council reps eye chairmanship

New council reps eye chairmanship

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Only a day after being sworn into office, new councillors are
vying for the City Council chairmanship. Two names -- Ahmad
Heryawan of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Abdul Muthalib
Shihab of the Democratic Party are considered the strongest
contenders.

PKS and the Democratic Party are the two factions with the
most seats on the council with 18 and 16 seats respectively.

"The Democratic Party faction will fight the PKS for the
council chairmanship," councillor Ahmad Alaydrus told reporters
at City Council on Thursday.

Ahmad said if a councillor from his party were council
chairman, it would be easier to make improvements within the
council.

Decree No. 162/2004 issued by the home minister on guidelines
to set up the internal regulations for City Council stipulates
that the council chairman should be elected from four major
political parties in the council.

Therefore, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and
Golkar Party factions have a chance since they have 11 and seven
seats respectively.

But some smaller factions also want to enter the race.

"Law No. 22/2003 on the organizational structure of House of
Representatives and City Council stipulates that the council
chairman must be elected from and by the councillors. So, all
factions can propose their own candidates," said councillor
Daniel Abdullah Sani of the National Mandate Party faction, which
has six seats in the council.

Mohamad Mansur Syahroni of the National Awakening Party
faction agreed, saying the election of the council chairman must
be in accordance with the law. "Due to the absence of a specific
government regulation on the issue, it would be better if we take
the existing law as our reference."