PPP faction to reject Sutiyoso's speech

JAKARTA (JP): While questioning Governor Sutiyoso's ability to govern the capital, United Development Party Faction (PPP) faction at City Council hinted on Monday of a plan to reject the governor's accountability speech before the council last month.

"We consider his (Sutiyoso's) answers to questions by the council's eleven factions during its plenary session on June 26 to be normative, barely touching on the city's real condition," PPP deputy chairman Chudlary Syafi'i Hadzami told a media conference.

He called attention to security in the city, accusing the governor of being unable to maintain order in the capital and eradicate rampant corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) practices within the administration.

"We question his ability to govern the capital due to various cases of disorderliness here," he said, citing the increasing numbers of street crimes and prostitution.

Hadzami also accused Sutiyoso of having lied to council members when he said he had never given any written or verbal permission for becak (pedicab) drivers to resume operation in the capital.

He recalled that Sutiyoso allowed the pedicab drivers to operate in the capital in June last year, as part of the efforts to help the poor survive the prolonged economic crisis that hit the country in mid-1997. The decision, a violation of City Bylaw No. 11/1988 on public order, was revoked the following week.

"He lied to us about the pedicab operation. He also might have lied about other issues," he said.

PPP faction secretary Hamidi said his faction would give Sutiyoso a one-month deadline to improve conditions in the city after the announcement of the council's stance on his accountability speech, which is slated for July 18.

"If Sutiyoso can make significant improvements before the deadline, then we might withdraw the plan in the next council plenary session," he said, referring to the August plenary session to assess Sutiyoso's performance and make recommendations to the central government whether to keep Sutiyoso as governor or replace him.

Separately, city spokesman Muhayat denied the allegation that the governor had lied on the becak issue.

"We must remember that it was in the initial period of press freedom and some media twisted his statements on the becak," he told reporters at City Hall on Monday.

Muhayat, who was named city spokesman last October, said the governor only announced that no more becak were allowed to enter the city as pedicabs thronged Jakarta in huge numbers at that time.

He admitted, however, that public order operations to apprehend the drivers were suspended at that time.

The administration is facing a lawsuit filed by pedicab drivers, alleging the governor lied about letting them operate in the city.

Muhayat also denied the allegations that the administration is misusing funds from the social safety net program.

"It's impossible because donor countries required the funds to be managed by residents with minimum city administration involvement," he said.

He did admit that some city officials misused the funds.

"We have punished those officials, including firing several subdistrict heads," he said.

Muhayat also requested all parties give solid proof of irregularities by city officials. (06/nvn)