Surabaya council seeks mayor's ouster after one month in office
Surabaya council seeks mayor's ouster after one month in office
Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya
After its successful move in removing the former Surabaya
mayor, Surabaya City Council in East Java decided on Thursday to
seek the removal of newly installed Mayor Bambang Dwi Hartono, by
rejecting his budget accountability speech for 2001.
Bambang's planned removal followed complaints by several
councillors that he was arrogant and was reported to lack support
from the bureaucracy he leads.
Following the move, the council will propose that the Ministry
of Home Affairs dismiss Bambang.
But East Java Governor Imam Utomo said on Thursday he would
likely have to examine the validity of the council's decision
before the government could approve it.
Earlier this year, Imam Utomo rejected the petition from
Surabaya City Council to remove Bambang's predecessor, Sunarto
Sumoprawiro.
Imam, nevertheless, was compelled to form an independent team
to investigate the conflict between the city council and Sunarto.
The recommendation from the team led to the removal of Sunarto.
Bambang was given the axe during the council's plenary meeting
on Thursday. It met to decide whether or not accept Bambang's
reply after it had first rejected the 2001 accountability speech
he presented on June 13 -- three days after he had taken office.
Throughout 2001 the city budget was under the management of
Sunarto, to whom Bambang was a deputy.
Bambang, who hails from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said the council's first rejection on
June 13 was flawed.
"A rejection by the council must secure the approval of at
least two-thirds of the attending members, and cover all
factions," he said, quoting government regulation 108/2000 on the
procedures for determining the accountability of a regional
chief.
Bambang said the council had not met the required conditions
for rejecting his accountability, noting that PDI Perjuangan had
accepted his speech.
He said he would challenge the move in court, if the Minister
of Home Affairs and the President approved the council's motion
to dismiss him.
"We're not surprised by their decision," he said, adding he
would continue to work as mayor until the Minister of Home
Affairs told him to resign.
Thursday's plenary meeting was attended by 42 of the 45
council members. PDI-Perjuangan, which had initially accepted the
accountability speech, made no protest when other factions
decided to remove Bambang.
The mayor neither showed up nor presented the demanded
response to the council's rejection on June 13.
His absence stirred anger among councillors, who charged him
of insulting the city council.
"We think the mayor's attitude shows he has no good intentions
at all and is insulting the council, which represents the
people," Council Speaker M. Basuki of the PDI Perjuangan faction
said.
Basuki is said to be Bambang's political rival in the faction.
"We will immediately ask for his dismissal via the East Java
administration."
Governor Imam said that what would follow next would likely be
a request by the Ministry of Home Affairs to form an independent
team to evaluate the council's decision.
"It's how Pak Narto (former mayor Sunarto) was discharged. The
minister didn't simply approve it, but asked us to form an
independent team comprising experts in law, politics and health
matters," Imam said.