Sutiyoso to seek peace with opponents

Sutiyoso to seek peace with opponents

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Newly elected Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said that he
and Governor Sutiyoso would strive for reconciliation with those
who opposed their election in an effort to maximize the
performance of the city administration in the future.

"As a human being I will make silaturrahim (reconciliation)
with both those who supported and those who rejected us," Fauzi,
who is serving City Secretary, said on Friday.

He said that those who would be approached included
councillors and elements among the public at large who have
recently criticized the results of the gubernatorial election.

However, he realized that the efforts to bring about
reconciliation might not be accepted by the parties involved,
saying that he would continue the administration with or without
their support.

"In a democratic situation, it's okay if they still disagree
with us. As there were no shortcomings, it makes me proud to have
participated in a democratic election," Fauzi said.

Members of the public, non-governmental organizations and some
councillors have deplored the results of the electoral process
which was marked by many irregularities and allegations of money
politics.

Separately, councillor Abdul Aziz Matnur rejected any
possibility of reconciliation with Sutiyoso-Fauzi Bowo before the
alleged regularities were clarified.

"Without an honest clarification on the irregularities, such
as money politics, during the election, it will be impossible to
reconcile with them," Aziz of the Justice Party told The Jakarta
Post.

He said his party would remain critical of the city
administration since the election of Sutiyoso and Fauzi Bowo was
based on a dishonest process.

The Justice Party and the National Mandate Party are still
refusing the accept the result of the election, which was held
last Wednesday, due to the irregularities.

Besides alleged money politics, the irregularities included
the marking of the ballot papers that were cast in support of
Sutiyoso.

At least three councillors from the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Audi I.Z. Tambunan, Lambertus
Gainadara and Jannes Pardosi, have admitted that they marked
their ballots.

"There were 27 councillors from PDI Perjuangan who marked
their ballot papers in support of Sutiyoso," Audi told reporters
on Friday.

The audaciousness of the councillors in admitting that they
had marked their ballots is viewed as an indication that they
have not been fully paid. Rumors have it that the full payment is
to be made two months after the election.

The party, which is chaired by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, has 30 councillors on the City Council. The three
councillors who did not vote for Sutiyoso were Tarmidi Suhardjo,
Ugiek Sugihardjo and Dadang Hamdani.

Another sign of irregularities was a surprise confession by
failed gubernatorial candidate Mahfudz Djaelani last Friday.
Mahfudz admitted to having paid Rp 200 million to 40 councillors
as a down payment on a total Rp 2 billion if the councillors
elected him and his running mate.

Mahfudz, who only secured three votes, later retracted his
statement. He was questioned by Jakarta Police on Thursday, when
he claimed that the money had been was used to invite the
councillors for dinners over the last years ago.

Several non-governmental and student organizations are soon to
file a citizens' suit in the district court, demanding the
annulment of the election result due to the irregularities.