PDI Perjuangan has sole gubernatorial candidate

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) named on Tuesday its chairman Tarmidi Suhardjo as its sole gubernatorial candidate, but the choice is still subject to approval from the party's central board.

"We proposed Tarmidi today to the party's central board. We hope the central board will recommend him as our definitive gubernatorial candidate," the party's city chapter deputy chairman Agung Imam Sumanto said.

Agung, who is also the chairman of the party's faction on the City Council, told reporters that Tarmidi was selected from among the 11 names who were nominated during the party's city chapter meeting on Saturday.

Agung said that Tarmidi, the council's deputy chairman, gained the majority of the votes from the party's six branches at the meeting.

The 55-year-old Tarmidi, a high school graduate, had earlier been named as one of three suspects by the Jakarta Prosecutors' Office for his alleged involvement in a controversial foreign trip scandal dubbed Ancolgate. He received Rp 50 million (US$5,700) and US$5,000 from PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol in travel allowances but did not actually go on the trip.

An outspoken party member, Ugiek Soegihardjo, last week told reporters that Agung and Tarmidi had told him to "take a break" after he revealed that he was offered a Rp 20 million bribe by city-joint venture firm PT Jakarta International Trade Fair (JITF). Ugiek said that the money was offered to him through Agung. Both Tarmidi and Agung have denied the accusation.

Agung said on Tuesday that the party's city chapter decided to propose Tarmidi as he was the only one who had stated his readiness to be elected.

"Only Tarmidi has submitted a written statement proposing himself. The others, including myself, were proposed by the branches," Agung said.

The gubernatorial election, which is being held for the first time ever, is scheduled for Sept. 17.

Tarmidi defeated the party's other leading candidate, Roy BB Janis, who is the deputy chairman of the party's central board.

However, the party's executives had earlier said they would accept it if party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is also the country's President, designated another candidate, even if he was from outside the party.

The executives even hinted at the possibility of their nominating incumbent Governor Sutiyoso as a candidate if Sutiyoso committed himself to helping the party during the next general election in 2004. They said that in such an eventuality the PDI Perjuangan might nominate Tarmidi for the deputy governorship, giving him the chance to learn about administration before replacing Sutiyoso.

The PDI Perjuangan is the largest faction on the council with 30 of the 83 seats. As the vote will be by secret ballot, it is thought that the PDI Perjuangan's vote might split.

Tarmidi, who was born in Pekalongan, Central Java, has been active in the party since its establishment in 1996.

In 1999, Tarmidi failed to be elected chairman of the council as many party councillors gave their votes to Edy Waluyo, a candidate from the Indonesian Military/Police faction.

In the gubernatorial election, Tarmidi will be competing with other leading candidates, including Sutiyoso, Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Djailani and City Secretary Fauzi Bowo.