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)