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.