Sutiyoso speech likely to be rejected

Sutiyoso speech likely to be rejected

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso's accountability statement faces possible
rejection by the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction, the
Justice Party (PK) faction, the United Development Party (PPP)
faction and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
faction at the city council.

The four factions make up a total of 60 votes, a majority of
the council's 85 seats, with PDI-P holding 30 seats, PAN and the
PPP holding 13 seats each and the PK, four seats.

If the council rejects Sutiyoso's accountability statement,
the governor would be given an opportunity to improve his
performance in the next 100 days. If, by the end of this period,
his administration's performance has not improved to the
satisfaction of councillors, they could bring a motion of no
confidence against him.

PAN faction chairman Agus Darmawan said on Thursday that the
main reason for the likely rejection was Sutiyoso's forced
eviction of around 11,500 families in the city.

He also mentioned the governor's failure in implementing Bylaw
No. 2/2002 on private markets, in particular on developers'
obligation to allocate 20 percent of space to small and medium
enterprises, and the failure of the City Audit Agency (Bawasda)
in monitoring the performance of various city agencies.

PPP faction chairman Rahman said although the party's
councillors had agreed to reject the accountability speech, the
final decision would be made in a meeting on Friday between the
councillors and PPP Jakarta chapter executives.

Meanwhile, Supangat from the PDI-P admitted that the party
councillors' stance was dictated by the party central board.

Earlier on Wednesday, an executive of the PDI-P's central
board, Tanwir Y. Mukawi, reiterated earlier comments by PDI-P
executives, who blamed Sutiyoso for the sharp drop in the party's
vote in Jakarta in the April 5 legislative elections.

"Sutiyoso evicted squatters prior to the elections. He has
also made another unfortunate move by locking up a school
building while we are busy preparing for the presidential
election," he said, referring to Sunday's takeover of the SMP 56
state junior high school on Jl. Melawai Raya, South Jakarta.

The school's closure has forced its remaining students to
study in the open air, giving rise to condemnation from
legislators, who have promised to summon the governor and other
people involved for explanations.

In the next session, the makeup of the council will change
drastically with the Prosperous Justice Party (formerly the
Justice Party faction) becoming the biggest faction with 18
seats, followed by newcomer, the Democratic Party, with 16 seats.

The PDI-P, Golkar Party and PAN only won 11, seven and six
seats respectively.