Sutiyoso blames public for his failure
Sutiyoso blames public for his failure
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso delivered his accountability speech
on Thursday, citing poor public discipline as the cause of
various unsolved problems, including security, transportation,
floods, and garbage.
"With the complexity of the problems and the fact that the
city is still facing an economic crisis, I feel that a five-year
term is not enough to solve the problems," Sutiyoso said at the
City Council plenary session.
Before the session, hundreds of people, those demonstrating in
favor and against the governor, staged rallies in the council
compound on Jl. Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta.
The session, which started at 1 p.m., was attended by 54 of
the council's 84 councillors. The plenary session hall was full,
mostly with the administration's officials and employees.
Sutiyoso, who was formerly the Jakarta Military Commander,
asserted that his administration could not improve security
conditions and public order due to lack of funds.
Besides the shortage of funds, he claimed that poor public
discipline and understanding of the law also contributed to the
current security and public order situation.
"The multidimensional crisis, the change in people's behavior,
and the fewer job opportunities have all caused difficulties in
upholding security and order," the retired lieutenant general
said.
Last year, the administration allocated some Rp 45 billion
(US$5 million) from the budget for its public order program.
Sutiyoso again blamed the chaotic transportation system in the
city on the public's lack of discipline, besides the large number
of vehicles.
"The problem is not in the transportation system, but how to
educate public on traffic courtesy and to obey traffic
regulations," he argued.
He revealed that the city's program for flood prevention was
also hampered by the lack of funds.
He said the flood prevention program would take time since the
fund from the current city budget and the state budget could not
cover the total cost of the program.
On garbage management, Sutiyoso said the administration was
still studying the best technology to manage the city's garbage,
which amounted to 25,000 cubic meter per day.
"The current sanitary land fill system could cause
environmental damage if we do not handle it with care," he said.
The agreement between the Jakarta administration and Bekasi
municipality on the use of Jakarta's main garbage dump in Bantar
Gebang, Bekasi, will end in 2003.
Last year, Jakarta paid compensation amounting to Rp 14
billion to Bekasi to take measures to rectify the environmental
damage in the garbage dump. The governor did not mention it in
his speech.
Sutiyoso said the administration also had not yet completed
the development of an Islamic center in North Jakarta and a
Betawi cultural heritage area in Srengseng Sawah, South Jakarta.
He said the administration needed more funds from foreign and
domestic investors to complete the development.
The City Council earlier recommended the administration
investigate alleged corruption in the clearing of the 11-hectare
land of the former Kramat Tunggak brothel for the development of
the Islamic center.
Meanwhile, councillor Ajarta Sebayang of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) complained that
Sutiyoso only blamed others, instead of looking at his
administration's failure to resolve problems and finish needed
programs.
"We are still 50-50 whether we will reject or accept his
accountability speech," Ajarta told reporters after the session.
The council's 11 factions will deliver their views on the
accountability speech next week. The factions will decide whether
to accept or reject it on Aug. 12.
If Sutiyoso's accountability speech is rejected, it would end
his chance to be reelected as governor.