PDI Perjuangan discusses gubernatorial candidates
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Jakarta city chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) conducted a special meeting on Saturday to discuss its nominations for the gubernatorial election on Sept. 11.
The meeting, which took place at Hotel Radin, Ancol, North Jakarta, secured 11 names from the party's five mayoralty branches and the new Kepulauan Seribu regency.
Chapter secretary Maringan Pangaribuan said the party would select five of the 11 nominees to be handed to the party's central board, which is chaired by President Megawati Soekarnoputri, on Monday.
Among the 11 nominees, five of them secured majority votes of the branches, but it remains to be seen if their names would be selected.
They are city chapter chairman Tarmidi Suhardjo, the party's central board deputy chairman Roy BB Janis, councillors Audi I.Z Tambunan and Totok Ismunandar, and the son of former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, who is also active in the party.
Tarmidi, who is also the city council's deputy chairman, was reportedly named a suspect in a controversial trip abroad, dubbed Ancolgate. He had received US$5,000 and Rp 50 million from PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol in travel allowances, but did not join the trip.
Tarmidi hoped that the central board, especially Megawati, could choose one candidate by Wednesday.
"I hope Wednesday, the central board could decide the definite candidate," Tarmidi said after the meeting, which was attended by the central board's deputy secretary, Pramono Anung.
However, several executives of the branches said that they preferred that the party support the incumbent Governor Sutiyoso for reelection.
"What's most important is a commitment that Sutiyoso would help PDI Perjuangan to win the 2004 general elections," one of the executives, who asked for anonymity, told reporters outside the meeting hall.
He suggested that it would be better if Tarmidi was nominated as Sutiyoso's deputy governor, to give him time to study the administration.
"We could dismiss Sutiyoso after the 2004 election. It's politics," he said.
Sutiyoso, who was the Jakarta Military Commander, reportedly had secured "a green light" from Megawati to run for the second five-year term.
Besides Sutiyoso, the current Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Djailani and City secretary Fauzi Bowo are reportedly nominated as strong governor candidates.
The gubernatorial election would be determined by the city's 83 councillors. The PDI Perjuangan, the largest party, with its 30 seats would play a significant role in the elections.