Paku Alam IX wins deputy gubernatorial election

Paku Alam IX wins deputy gubernatorial election

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The head of Yogyakarta's Paku Alam royal family, Paku Alam IX,
was elected as deputy governor on Monday, ending an unusual and
tight vote contested by the heirs of the royal family.

Paku Alam IX, whose real name is Ambarkusumo, won a second
ballot during a plenary session of the provincial legislative
council against his half brother Prince Anglingkusumo.

Anglingkusumo actually garnered the most votes in the first
ballot, securing 26 of the 52 votes cast by council members,
while Paku Alam obtained 25 votes, with one vote being declared
invalid. In accordance with the rules governing such elections,
to claim victory a candidate must secure votes from at least half
of the total members of the council attending the ballot, plus
one. A second ballot was therefore required. Anglingkusumo,
however, dropped a vote in the second ballot and obtained just 25
votes, while Paku Alam secured 27 to win the race.

"Of course I am happy to be elected (as deputy governor),"
Paku Alam IX, who is known as a low-profile personality, told
reporters after the plenary session.

When asked about his plans after being sworn in, he said, "I
will just follow Ngerso Dalem (Governor Hamengku Buwono X)."

Meanwhile, Anglingkusumo could not hide his disappointment
over the result of the election when he left the council
building.

"There are still three days, before this (the result)
is endorsed, to examine whether or not there were any money
politics behind the ballot," he told reporters.

The provincial council has given the public three days from
the date of Monday's election to send written information related
to any alleged wrongdoings in the conduct of the deputy
governor's election, which could see the result being annulled.
The council is scheduled to meet again on Nov. 7 to decide
whether to approve the election result.

Governor Hamengku Buwono X, who witnessed the vote, expressed
his hope that Paku Alam IX would be able to cooperate with him if
he was sworn in as his deputy, a post which had been vacant for
more than two years.

"It's important that the presence of a deputy governor boost
the effectiveness of the provincial administration's work,"
Hemengku Buwono, who is also the sultan of Yogyakarta Keraton,
said.

There had been keen competition for the post of deputy
governor among members of the royal family of Puro Paku Alaman, a
small kingdom whose territory covers Paku Alaman subdistrict and
some areas in the Kulonprogo regency, Yogyakarta. The provincial
legislative council decided early this month that the race for
deputy governor would be open to all children of the late Paku
Alam VIII, the previous deputy governor who had ruled alongside
governor Hemengku Buwono IX.

The decision appeared to contradict the principle that the
ruler of Paku Alaman, Paku Alam IX, should automatically be
installed as deputy governor due to Yogyakarta's special status.

Many believe that Paku Alam's victory in Monday's election was
also a victory for Hamengku Buwono.

A close aide to Hamengku Buwono X, who asked for
anonymity, said that the Sultan preferred Paku Alam IX as deputy
governor over Anglingkusumo because the latter had the potential
to oppose him on many strategic issues.

"On the contrary, Paku Alam will do whatever is ordered by
Hamengku Buwono," the source told The Jakarta Post.