NGOs demand direct election, current process terminated
NGOs demand direct election, current process terminated
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A total of 49 non-governmental organizations on Wednesday
demanded that President Megawati Soekarnoputri stop the ongoing
Jakarta gubernatorial election process, stressing that it was
being carried out undemocratically and against the prevailing
regulations.
The NGOs included the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH
Jakarta), the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ), the Jakarta
Residents' Forum (Fakta), the Sanggar Ciliwung organization, the
Let's Watch organization, Women's Solidarity, the Urban Poor
Consortium (UPC), and the Society of Indonesian Professionals
(MPI).
In their joint communique, the NGOs call for the formation of
a caretaker administration tasked with organizing a gubernatorial
election where the governor would be chosen directly by the
people.
According to the NGOs, the election process should be stopped
as the City Council had several times violated the election
procedures that it had approved.
The violations included lack of transparency and inconsistency
in the selection process; not all candidates were invited to
interviews; a gubernatorial candidate was permitted to become a
vice gubernatorial candidate, and the number of councillors
attending most of the plenary sessions during the selection
process did not meet the quorum.
"How can we expect good governance from the next City
Administration if we allow this unfair gubernatorial election
process to continue," Tubagus Haryo Karbiyanto of the Jakarta
Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) told the press.
The City Council has selected seven pairings of gubernatorial
and vice gubernatorial candidates. The seven pairings of
candidates have been reported to the President through the home
affairs minister. Among the pairings, incumbent Governor Sutiyoso
and City Secretary Fauzi Bowo are the strongest so far, and it
would seem that only President Megawati Soekarnoputri could stop
them from becoming the next governor and deputy governor of
Jakarta.
Other pairings include the deputy chairman of the council,
Tarmidi Suhardjo, who is paired off with the secretary-general of
the National Mandate Party (PAN) Abdillah Toha, and City Council
Chairman Edy Waluyo who is paired with an executive of the United
Development Party (PPP) Ahmad Suaidy.
The communique also questioned the integrity of two of the
main candidates, Sutiyoso and Tarmidi, as both of them are
suspects in criminal cases.
The Jakarta Military Police have named Sutiyoso a suspect in
the July 27, 1996, incident when military personnel and civilians
attacked supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri. Meanwhile, Tarmidi
is a suspect in a corruption case involving the management of the
state-owned Ancol amusement complex.
The NGOs said that many of the City Councillors had been
involved in money politics during the selection process.
The communique also said that the ongoing selection process
had ignored the people's aspiration as the City Council only
accommodated the interests of the political parties and the
owners of capital.
"Therefore, the process should be stopped and it is time to
hold a direct election by the people," said the communique, which
was read out during the press conference.
Ratna Sarumpaet, chairwoman of the Governor and Vice Governor
Forum, said that the NGOs would follow up on the communique with
various forms of action, including public rallies, speeches, and
possible occupation of the City Council building.
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A total of 49 non-governmental organizations on Wednesday
demanded that President Megawati Soekarnoputri stop the ongoing
Jakarta gubernatorial election process, stressing that it was
being carried out undemocratically and against the prevailing
regulations.
The NGOs included the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH
Jakarta), the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ), the Jakarta
Residents' Forum (Fakta), the Sanggar Ciliwung organization, the
Let's Watch organization, Women's Solidarity, the Urban Poor
Consortium (UPC), and the Society of Indonesian Professionals
(MPI).
In their joint communique, the NGOs call for the formation of
a caretaker administration tasked with organizing a gubernatorial
election where the governor would be chosen directly by the
people.
According to the NGOs, the election process should be stopped
as the City Council had several times violated the election
procedures that it had approved.
The violations included lack of transparency and inconsistency
in the selection process; not all candidates were invited to
interviews; a gubernatorial candidate was permitted to become a
vice gubernatorial candidate, and the number of councillors
attending most of the plenary sessions during the selection
process did not meet the quorum.
"How can we expect good governance from the next City
Administration if we allow this unfair gubernatorial election
process to continue," Tubagus Haryo Karbiyanto of the Jakarta
Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) told the press.
The City Council has selected seven pairings of gubernatorial
and vice gubernatorial candidates. The seven pairings of
candidates have been reported to the President through the home
affairs minister. Among the pairings, incumbent Governor Sutiyoso
and City Secretary Fauzi Bowo are the strongest so far, and it
would seem that only President Megawati Soekarnoputri could stop
them from becoming the next governor and deputy governor of
Jakarta.
Other pairings include the deputy chairman of the council,
Tarmidi Suhardjo, who is paired off with the secretary-general of
the National Mandate Party (PAN) Abdillah Toha, and City Council
Chairman Edy Waluyo who is paired with an executive of the United
Development Party (PPP) Ahmad Suaidy.
The communique also questioned the integrity of two of the
main candidates, Sutiyoso and Tarmidi, as both of them are
suspects in criminal cases.
The Jakarta Military Police have named Sutiyoso a suspect in
the July 27, 1996, incident when military personnel and civilians
attacked supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri. Meanwhile, Tarmidi
is a suspect in a corruption case involving the management of the
state-owned Ancol amusement complex.
The NGOs said that many of the City Councillors had been
involved in money politics during the selection process.
The communique also said that the ongoing selection process
had ignored the people's aspiration as the City Council only
accommodated the interests of the political parties and the
owners of capital.
"Therefore, the process should be stopped and it is time to
hold a direct election by the people," said the communique, which
was read out during the press conference.
Ratna Sarumpaet, chairwoman of the Governor and Vice Governor
Forum, said that the NGOs would follow up on the communique with
various forms of action, including public rallies, speeches, and
possible occupation of the City Council building.