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)