Number of Bogor council seats will remain 75

BOGOR (JP): The home affairs ministry will not increase the number of city council seats from 75 to 100 in spite of recent lobbying by city-chapter political forces.

The head of the city's directorate of social and political affairs, Bagus Soeharyono, said Wednesday the decision dated back to Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.'s decree last year.

"I forget which clause number, but I do remember that the decree issued last year stipulates that the Jakarta council numbers 75. The decree is beyond debate, so are the 15 seats set aside for the Armed Forces," Bagus said.

The three political forces had planned to meet with Governor Surjadi Soedirdja to discuss the possible increase.

"Improving the quality of the councilors would be better than demanding more members," he said.

Representatives of the city chapters of Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and the United Development Party (PPP), visited Governor Surjadi Soedirdja earlier to ask for the increase.

But Surjadi refused to discuss the matter because the chairman of PPP's Jakarta chapter failed to attend the meeting.

Some councilors say more members are necessary because city problems are growing more complicated. Some say more councilors would be a waste of money. (ste)