'Sutiyoso should do something to win back public sympathy'

'Sutiyoso should do something to win back public sympathy'

Despite public outcry and opposition against governor-elect
Sutiyoso, it is almost certain that he will carry out his second
tenure as city governor. Some residents shared their views with
The Jakarta Post.

Eka, 29, has been an environmentalist of a noted organization
since 1998. She resides in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta with her
family:

I personally oppose Sutiyoso as city governor. It is so
obvious to the public that he failed to manage the city during
his previous tenure.

I don't even see any policies accommodating environmental
issues during his term.

I regret the faulty procedures during the gubernatorial
election and that the city councillors had reelected him.

I can only hope that he will make the city better. I won't
expect too much from him to do what the public wishes due to his
previous poor performance.

He should learn from all the problems and make favorable
policies to save the environment in the city. He alone, I'm sure,
could not survive his post without the city administrative staff
members to implement his programs.

City councillors who elected him should be held responsible
for the governor they chose.

Umar, not his real name, 42, is a vendor in a makeshift kiosk
selling cigarettes and beverages. He is from Kuningan, West Java
where he lives with his wife and two children. He has been living
on Jl. Agus Salim, Central Jakarta for five years:

I disagree with the reelection of Sutiyoso as city governor.
But we cannot deny that he was reelected. It's also a fact that
people oppose him.

I think he should do something to win public support by
focusing on street vendors like me. We realize that we're wrong
according to the city bylaw. But there is no other way to survive
in the city.

In my opinion, street vendors should be localized and managed
so that we will feel secure and not be extorted by officers from
the city public order. Then we would be very happy to pay taxes
or other levies to the city administration.

What is happening now is that we're still prone to forcible
eviction despite the fact that we've paid our financial
obligations to certain officers. We understand that corrupt
officials in the city continue to operate here. That's why
vendors' pleas have not been heard. Worse still, we feel
threatened.

Could Governor Sutiyoso have the city officials side with the
socially disadvantaged?

Hadi is an activist of a non-governmental organization. He
used to live in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, but now lives in Depok,
West Java, with his only daughter and wife:

I would prefer that Sutiyoso was not city governor. He has had
too many failures to show us his incompetence. I regret that the
public's will has been neglected and that he was reelected
despite the irregularities that surfaced in the gubernatorial
election.

I just hope that he is aware that most people in the city have
a low income or are unemployed.

In addition, the worsening traffic congestion should also be
his top priority as the Jakarta governor.

I don't think it's easy to raise Sutiyoso's awareness. Perhaps
Sutiyoso, his subordinates and the city councillors need a lot of
rallies protesting them to make them become aware of the real
conditions in the city.

I'm pessimistic that the city government will get better due
to their prolonged practices in corruption.