Surabaya mayor Sunarto impeached

Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

The Surabaya legislative council held an open voting session to impeach Mayor Sunarto Sumaprawiro and appoint his deputy Bambang D.H. as the new mayor.

Some 31 of 45 legislators, who attended the legislature's plenary session, voted for Sunarto's impeachment, while 12 opposed and two abstained.

The support for the impeachment came from legislators of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), a joint faction, the Indonesian Military/National Police faction and the National Awakening Party (PKB), while the 12 who opposed it were from PDI Perjuangan, PKB and a joint faction.

The division among factions over Sunarto's leadership became evident at the legislature's recent special session when some members of the major factions opposed the proposed impeachment of the major.

Most factions were of the same opinion that Sunarto was no longer fit to do his job because of health, as was stipulated by Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy.

The legislature proposed Sunarto's impeachment for his absence during the last three months.

Most residents expressed dissatisfaction with Sunarto's leadership as he had been absent when hundreds of tons of garbage was abandoned at temporary dump sites across the city during October and November last year.

He was in Melbourne for medical treatment when the garbage problem was mounting.

Bambang, who attended the plenary session, was expected to be sworn in as the new mayor to replace Sunarto in accordance with Government Regulation No. 151/2001 on regional officials. Sunarto, who arrived in the city from Melbourne on Sunday, was absent from the meeting.

Bambang is a supporter of PDI Perjuangan.

The special session failed to determine Sunarto's fate as it was not stipulated in Government Regulation No. 1/2001 on the internal rules of legislatures.

"The decision is a bitter pill that we must take. All sides must accept it as it is," said Basuki, who presided over the plenary session.

On the sidelines of the plenary session, around 400 people, who were for and against Sunarto's leadership, staged two separate demonstrations, but they were not involved in any clashes as five groups of security personnel were deployed to guard the plenary meeting.

Bambang said he would hold a meeting with local businessmen to seek their assistance to sort out the city's problems.

"We are facing many serious problems that need urgent action. We will seek help from local businessmen to solve the problems, in particular, environmental matters in the city," he said.

Separately, Governor Imam Utomo said Sunarto was allowed to take the legislature to the State Administrative Court to be sued if he objected to the decision.

"Cak Narto has the right to file a lawsuit against the legislature's decision if he feels not guilty," he said.