PPP rejects reelection of Tangerang mayor
PPP rejects reelection of Tangerang mayor
TANGERANG (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) faction in
the Tangerang Mayoralty Legislative Council announced yesterday
that their members would not reelect Mayor Djakaria Mahmud for a
second five-year term.
Faction chairman M. Sayuti said PPP would also ask the
minister of home affairs, through the West Java governor, to
temporarily assign a replacement until the next mayor is
installed.
"We hope the resignation letter Djakaria signed on April 16
will be processed soon," said Sayuti.
The mayor for the 1998/2003 term is to be elected in a special
session next week.
According to Sayuti, PPP made its decision in response to
growing public demand. There have been continuous anti-Djakaria
demonstrations at the council all this month asking that he not
be given a second term.
PPP also received letters signed by 10 subdistrict heads and
44 mayoralty officials who threatened to resign from their
respective positions if Djakaria refused to quit.
The statement signed by nine PPP members was read at noon in
front of hundreds of demonstrators who had been sitting in the
compound since morning.
The anti-Djakaria protesters, including pedicab drivers,
called themselves members of Islamic Unity Forum, Tangerang
Rescue Forum and Tangerang Students Forum.
Their spokesman, Tb. Mahdi, urged the council to dismiss the
mayor, investigate the wealth of all mayoralty officials and
ensure the suspects are tried in court.
They also demanded the council dismiss some of the
councilors, including Ety Margawati and Imas Nandy, who are wives
of mayoralty officials and that the local authorities revoke all
permits of bars and karaoke halls operating here.
The Indonesian Democratic Party faction agreed with the
protesters' demands and the PPP but it is unclear whether its
statement was read out in front of the protesters.
The Armed Forces faction decided to reject the demands and
Golkar representatives said they would report to their central
board in Jakarta before making a final decision. (41/jun)