Sutiyoso pledges to repair roads to President's home

Sutiyoso pledges to repair roads to President's home

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday that the roads
to President Abdurrahman Wahid's residence in Ciganjur
subdistrict, South Jakarta, were in bad condition and needed to
be repaired.

"I will ask the city's public works agency to immediately
start the project," he said at City Hall.

Unlike the country's previous presidents, Abdurrahman's
residence is located in an area which is about a one hour drive
from the city center.

The President is currently staying at the Presidential
guesthouse in the State/Merdeka Palace compound. It remains
unclear whether he will live at the palace or return to his
Ciganjur residence.

An aide to Abdurrahman, Alwi Shihab, said earlier on Thursday
that the President preferred to live in his Ciganjur home, but
due to security reasons he was staying at the presidential
guesthouse until a decision was made on the issue.

Sutiyoso also called on the city's residents to put aside
their political differences and gear up for the future in a new
spirit of reconciliation.

"Let's forget all that happened in the past ... no more riots
and suspicion after the General Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) is over," he said.

He revealed that the city administration sustained losses
estimated at Rp 2.25 billion (US$321,000) following a series of
mass violent demonstrations during the MPR General Session.

"We'll soon repair all damage to the city public facilities,"
he said.

The governor said he would not blame the damage to public
facilities on Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) supporters. Megawati loyalists went on a rampage and
damaged city facilities following her shock defeat in the
presidential race.

"It's difficult to search for the people who were responsible
for the damage. There were lots of people," Sutiyoso said.

He said Abdurrahman Wahid's presidential victory and Megawati
Soekarnoputri's appointment as Vice President was expected to
help restore peace and order in the city.

"Hopefully, economic activities will soon return to normal and
there will be no more riots and violent action on the part of
residents," he said.

Thousands of PDI Perjuangan supporters, as well as other
members of the public, were involved on Wednesday night in
clashes with security officers.

Public facilities, such as public lamps, parks and toll
booths, on major thoroughfares in the city were damaged and
burned by the disappointed supporters.

The anger was quelled and the riots quickly ended following
the outcome on Thursday of the vice presidential race between
United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz and Megawati.

PDI Perjuangan supporters led by party councilors Audy I. Z.
Tambunan and Tarmidi Suhardjo, participated on Friday in a
peaceful convoy throughout the city.

The group distributed flowers and meal boxes to passersby and
police officers at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central
Jakarta. (jun/imn)