Protests mark swearing in of councilors

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)