Sultan waiting for govt's decree

Sultan waiting for govt's decree

YOGYAKARTA: Popular Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X said here
yesterday he was waiting for word from President B.J. Habibie on
the appointment of the special province's governor, in which he
is a strong candidate.

"It's up to the government. It has the right to decide, hasn't
it?" he told journalists on the sidelines of a seminar here.

Strongly supported by the provincial legislature's Golkar and
Armed Forces faction and popularly wooed by the ancient city's
residents, Sri Sultan's sole contender for the governorship is
Alfian Darmawan of the United Development Party (PPP) faction.

Sri Sultan said it would depend on the President whether to
base his upcoming appointment on the 1974 Law on regional
administration, or on decree No.3/1950 which declared Yogyakarta
a special province.

"The problem is that when the decision is made, is it made
directly or after listening to the Yogyakarta's people aspiration
first?" he said.

Based on the 1950 law, the governor should be chosen from
either of two aristocratic houses -- the Yogyakarta Keraton or
the Pura Paku Alaman.

PPP contends that the 1974 supersedes the 1950 law, and thus
anyone is entitled to run as governor.

Since the first governor, Hamengkubuwono IX, passed away in
1988, Paku Alam VIII served as the "acting governor". He retired
recently at age 88. (23/44)