Sutiyoso installed as Jakarta's governor
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. installed Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso as Jakarta's eighth governor at a City Council special plenary session yesterday.
Hours before the ceremony started, hundreds of invited guests -- including officials and businesspeople -- had already packed the council's meeting room to witness Sutiyoso read his oath of office.
Sutiyoso, attired in an all-white governor's uniform, repeated the oath word-for-word after the minister.
His predecessor, Surjadi Soedirdja, and the council's new speaker, Edy Waluyo, witnessed the ceremony.
In his speech, Yogie said that Sutiyoso's appointment as Jakarta governor demonstrated the people and government's trust of him.
"This trust is a mighty challenge and I believe the new governor will not consider it a burden but a real challenge to measure his ability, devotion and dedication to the country, the city and all Jakartans," he said.
"The trust is based on his previous accomplishments, especially while serving as Jakarta military commander."
Yogie also thanked Surjadi for his commitment to the city's advancement despite its complicated problems.
"There were many achievements during Surjadi's term in office, both operationally and strategically, and his policies can offer guidance to the new governor," he said.
Among the guests were Minister of Health Sujudi; Rotterdam Mayor Abraham Peper of the Netherlands; West Java Governor Nuriana; President Soeharto's sons Bambang Trihatmodjo and Hutomo Mandala Putra, better known as Tommy Soeharto; four former Jakarta governors -- Ali Sadikin, Tjokropranolo, Soeprapto and Wiyogo Atmodarminto; and former council speaker M.H. Ritonga.
Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and the commander of the Army's special force (Kopassus), Maj. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, were also in attendance.
Yogie urged Sutiyoso, as Jakarta's new governor, to discipline his own officials before trying to discipline the public.
"It's no use disciplining citizens if officials, who are trusted to make guidelines for the people, are not disciplined themselves."
Officials should be disciplined in upholding regulations and existing procedures and they need to understand the purpose of discipline, he said.
Yogie said that another of the city's challenges was to ensure the security and success of the People's Consultative Assembly general session in March.
He urged the municipality to cooperate with security officers in safeguarding the meeting, which would elect the country's president.
After yesterday's ceremony, which was marred by a dispute between security guards and photographers due to a misunderstanding, Yogie congratulated Sutiyoso and bid farewell to Surjadi.
Comment
When asked to comment, Ali Sadikin, who served as Jakarta governor from 1966 to 1977, said that he hoped Sutiyoso would succeed in developing the city.
"His success will be for the benefit of all Jakartans," Ali, who is known as a stern critic of the government, said.
He praised Sutiyoso's first step toward internal consolidation and welcomed the new governor's pledge not to involve his children or relatives in any city projects.
Tjokropranolo, who was Jakarta's governor from 1977 to 1982, also greeted Sutiyoso's plan.
"As a young man, I believe he will be able to develop the city better than his predecessors," he said.
Former governor Wiyogo Atmodarminto hoped Sutiyoso would consistently implement the city's regulations and solve some of the city's chronic problems.
After the ceremony, both Surjadi and Sutiyoso went to City Hall where thousands of officials had gathered to bid farewell to Surjadi and welcome the new governor. (ste)
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