Some councillors 'do not know what they are talking about'

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso took a swipe at city councillors on Tuesday, saying they did not always know what they were talking about.

"Sometimes they do not understand the issues. So do not write down their comments because it only confuses things," Sutiyoso told journalists.

Sutiyoso was commenting on a statement by a councillor who said the City Council would stop deliberating the 2006 draft budget due to the sluggish process of infrastructure development in the capital.

According to the draft budget, as of September 2005 only 25 percent of the funds allocated for infrastructure projects in the 2005 fiscal year, which runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, had been disbursed.

The draft budget was submitted by Sutiyoso to the City Council for deliberation late last month. It is currently being finalized by the council.

This was the first time that Sutiyoso has been publicly critical of the councillors, who were voted into the council in a direct election in 2004.

Sutiyoso was first appointed governor in 1997 during the regime of former president Soeharto. He was reelected by the City Council in 2002 and his term will end in 2007. He is not eligible for reelection.

Sutiyoso rarely comments on statements from councillors and if he does comment it is usually off the record.

It is not unusual during hearings for councillors to inadvertently draw big laughs by making statements that are completely out of context.

One councillor has gained a reputation for speaking out on issues on which he obviously has very little knowledge.

This councillor is often quoted in newspapers because he frequently demands that Sutiyoso dismiss officials based on unconfirmed reports of corruption.

"If I responded to those kinds of comment, I would go crazy," Sutiyoso said recently when asked if he would dismiss an official who was the subject of corruption rumors.

Responding to Sutiyoso's swipe, the head of the Democratic Party faction at the City Council, Johny Wenas Polii, said on Tuesday statements by councillors were always based on careful consideration of the issues.

"Sutiyoso's comment is regrettable. As the chief of the executive body, he must be careful about what he says," Johny told The Jakarta Post.