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.