PPP faction to reject Sutiyoso's speech

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No. 11/1988 on public order, was revoked the following week.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)