Speech must not be confused with impeachment: Expert

Speech must not be confused with impeachment: Expert

JAKARTA (JP): A regional administration expert told
legislators and the public on Wednesday not to confuse the
hearing sessions for governors' annual accountability speeches
with forums to impeach the regional administration heads.

"We don't expect the governors to be easily overthrown. An
accountability speech is a mere progress report. We expect the
legislators to give their suggestions and warnings instead," Andi
Mallarangeng, an expert staff member at the Office of the State
Minister of Regional Autonomy, said in a discussion on the City
Council's decision to reject Governor Sutiyoso's accountability
speech last Thursday.

"It seems that councillors have an agenda of replacing the
governors with their own candidates," he added.

The discussion also featured speakers, including former
Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, councillor Posman Siahaan of the
Justice and Unity Party (PKP) faction and Sutiyoso himself.

The governor's annual accountability speech is regulated in
Law No. 22/1999 on regional administration. The law also
stipulates general criteria for councillors to impeach governors.

The central government, however, has yet to issue a decree on
the annual speech mechanism, which has invited heated arguments
due to different interpretations of the law.

Andi warned that easily dismissing a governor through the
annual hearing session would be a bad precedence in Indonesian
politics.

"We would then have a new governor, mayor, regent or even
president every year if they could be impeached at the annual
accountability sessions," he said.

"This will only delay development programs throughout the
country and bring more difficulties to our residents," he added.

Meanwhile, Sutiyoso renewed his readiness to abide by any
decision made by the City Council in his accountability speech.

"I've even prepared myself for the worst scenario if city
councillors decide to reject my redrafted accountability speech
next month. I will be a farmer," he told the participants.

"It's not a big problem for me as long as the councillors make
an objective and reasonable assessment on my performance," he
said, adding that he denied he had bribed the councillors to
endorse his speech.

The council's majority vote to reject his accountability
speech, however, does not automatically mean that Sutiyoso has to
surrender his governorship.

The 1999 law regulates that a governor be given a 30-day
deadline to revise the rejected accountability speech. If that
speech is also rejected, the councillors can then recommend that
the central government find a replacement.

Andi said the false interpretation of the essence of a
governor's accountability speech had affected the governors'
performances, as well as those of mayors and regents.

"The governors, regents, mayors and all of their subordinates
can't provide normal public services when they have to
concentrate on speeches to appease councillors. Every time they
wake up in the morning, they only think about how to win the
legislators' approval," he said.

Councillor Posman said he disagreed with a circular sent by
State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid, which
emphasized that the accountability speech session was not a forum
to impeach any heads of regional administrations.

"If any of the councillors have sufficient evidence to accuse
and impeach the governor, why not?" he asked.

"I found that Sutiyoso hadn't put all of his efforts into
restoring order in the city. However, I cannot just put all the
blame on him. We must also consider the present conditions," he
said.

Demand

Meanwhile, Ali Sadikin demanded that the central government
immediately issue a decree on the speech mechanism.

"It's important to give guidelines to all heads of regional
administrations in order for them to perform their duties.
Otherwise, we'll return back to the 1950s when cabinets could be
overthrown at any time," he said.

"I also wonder who will control the councillors. If they can
impeach a governor, why can't a governor dismiss them in return?"
he asked.

All speakers in the discussion agreed to put the provincial
police under the governor's control.

"This way, residents can demand Sutiyoso's responsibility for
security affairs. Currently, Sutiyoso doesn't have any control
over the city police," Ali said.

Meanwhile, Andi said that his office had formulated a proposal
to be made to President Abdurrahman Wahid on measures to place
the provincial police under the governors.

Earlier last week, all 26 Indonesian governors made a similar
recommendation to the central government to place provincial
police under the provinces' authority.

"This (new position) will enable governors to launch public
order operations easier," Sutiyoso said. (nvn)