Protests mark swearing in of councilors
JAKARTA (JP): Amid the unceremonious din of demonstrations by several groups calling for some of them to resign, the new lineup of Jakarta councilors was sworn in at the City Council in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
The head of the Jakarta High Court, I Gede Sudarta, officiated as 84 councilors -- 75 elected from nine political parties and nine appointed from the Indonesian Military (TNI) -- took their oaths of office according to their respective religions.
Another elected councilor did not attend due to a dispute over his representation.
Sudarta then symbolically placed official pins on the oldest member of the council, 68-year-old Supangat from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), and the youngest, Abdul Azis Matnur, 30, from the Justice Party.
Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid, in a speech read in his absence by Governor Sutiyoso, hoped the council could end the public's distrust by accommodating their opinions on several pressing issues.
"Councilors should be more responsive. The council should be proactive to oversee the executive body (city administration)," Syarwan said.
Leadership of the council was temporarily handed over from former council speaker Edy Waluyo to Supangat and Aziz.
Supangat and Aziz will officiate at the council's meetings until the new speaker and his deputies are elected on Sept. 3.
PBB councilor M. Syarifien Maloko, a former political prisoner from North Jakarta, was not on the list of new councilors despite being named by his party to the council.
A note on the list said Maloko could not attend the ceremony because he was "still having problems", in the words of the General Elections Commission.
About 100 meters from the council building on Jl. Kebon Sirih, hundreds of people from different groups staged demonstrations. Dozens of PDI Perjuangan security officials waited around the building.
The sight of protesters freely disputing the election of legislators was unknown in strictly mandated swearing-in ceremonies of the past.
About 100 people identifying themselves as from the Reform Forum of Golkar Party's City Chapter demanded the resignation of the party's councilors Tadjus, Sugeng Suprijatna, Ade Suprijatna and Fatommy Asaari.
"Tadjus is arrogant while Sugeng, Ade and Fatommy should not be elected since they have been elected for more than two terms," Benny Widjaya, the forum's spokesman, said.
Tadjus refused to comment on the demand.
Another group of at least 25 people from the 27 July Youth Movement joined the crowd, demanding Sutiyoso resign for his alleged role in the fatal attack on the party's headquarters in 1996.
Sutiyoso was the city military commander at the time.
Commenting on the group's demand, the retired three-star Army general only said that he would obey the existing procedures.
"I only devoted myself to serving my country and following procedures," Sutiyoso said.
"People are entitled to express their own opinions."
The group's spokesman, Fikri, also asked PDI Perjuangan's city chapter chairman Roy B.B. Janis to revoke his earlier statement that the party would allow Sutiyoso to lead the city until 2002.
PDI Perjuangan's new councilor Maringan Pangaribuan said the party would allow Sutiyoso to continue his term if he showed he was serious about reform.
"We will make an evaluation. If Sutiyoso does not support reform, we will ask him to resign," said Maringan, who is tipped to become the council speaker.
Dozens of PAN supporters also staged a rally, demanding the resignation of the party's councilors, Sambudi Bakri and Mardjuan Bakri, for alleged deceit. (jun)