Sutiyoso rejects direct elections

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso has slammed a proposal for direct gubernatorial elections, saying Jakartans are not ready for open and direct elections.

"I can guarantee that a direct gubernatorial election would be difficult to hold in the city," Sutiyoso said on Thursday.

Sutiyoso was commenting on a planned revision to Law No. 34/1999 on Jakarta's administration, which was submitted by the House of Representatives late last year.

If the proposal is approved by the House, there would be direct gubernatorial elections here, rather than the current process by which the governor is elected by city councillors.

Sutiyoso said that besides Jakartans not being ready to elect their governor, the cost of direct elections would be prohibitive.

"Where is the funding going to come from for the election?" he asked.

He also questioned the legality of holding a direct gubernatorial election.

"I was just sworn in a few months ago as governor for a five- year term, so it doesn't make sense that a new regulation would simply annul my recent reelection. What is the legal basis for that?" he said.

Sutiyoso was reelected last September despite much public criticism.

A number of political analysts have said that given its position as the cradle of the country's civil movement, Jakarta administration officials should be elected directly by residents.