Subdistrict council membership open to all residents: Councillor

JAKARTA (JP): Membership of subdistrict councils is open to all city residents, including those who are active members of political parties, a councillor said on Friday.

"There is no regulation preventing members of a political party from being elected to a subdistrict council," Councillor A. Rahman of the United Development Party (PPP) faction told reporters.

He was commenting on a recent statement by Deputy Governor for Development Affairs Budihardjo Soekmadi that residents should elect "independent" public figures, and not members of political parties, as council members.

"If he (Budihardjo) really said that, he must never have read the city administration's regulations," Rahman, who is also a member of the City Council's Commission A on government affairs, said.

The councillor said, quoting from City Bylaw No. 5/2000 on Subdistrict Councils, that such councils should consist of people drawn from all community groups, even those with political affiliations.

The bylaw also provides that any party member elected to a subdistrict council should represent himself or herself, not his or her party, Rahman said.

"It's obvious that any members of the community can be elected to a council. So, residents should ignore the deputy governor's statement," he said.

City Bylaw No. 5/2000 stipulates that every subdistrict in Jakarta should have a subdistrict council to function as a bridge between the people and the local authority.

Rahman said that people could channel their aspirations to the city authorities through such councils, and the councils, in return, should provide information on new regulations to the people.

The bylaw provides that all candidates must participate in two electoral stages. The first round is held at the neighborhood unit (RT) level, and should be participated in by at least two- thirds of local residents.

Those elected in the first electoral round must then run in a second electoral round which is held at the community unit (RW) level. Each community unit elects one representative to the subdistrict council.

Rahman said that he had received reports of procedural violations during an election for a neighborhood unit in Kwitang subdistrict, Central Jakarta.

The chairman of the local community unit granted an exemption to a resident and allowed him to directly participate in the election at the community unit level without having passed through the first electoral round, he said. (04)