Sutiyoso's accountability speech rejected

Sutiyoso's accountability speech rejected

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Regional Council voted on Thursday
to reject the yearly accountability speech of Governor Sutiyoso
for his failure to provide detailed explanations to the
councillors' questions.

The decision was made in an open vote at the end of the
lengthy plenary meeting at the City Hall on Jl. Kebon Sirih, that
lasted from 9 a.m until 6:15 p.m.

Of the 84 councillors in attendance, 68 stood up during the
vote to show their rejection of Sutiyoso's speech, while the
remaining 16 accepted it.

The council has 85 councillors from 11 factions. A councillor
from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
faction did not appear at the meeting for unknown reasons.

The 68 councillors who decided to reject the governor's speech
were members from PDI Perjuangan, the Justice and Unity Party
(PKP), the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the
United Development Party (PPP), and the United Party (PP).

Their colleagues from the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the
Justice and Unity Party (PKP), National Awakening Party (PKB),
Unity in Diversity Party (PBI), and the Indonesian
Military/National Police factions agreed to endorse the responses
of Sutiyoso, who has been in the position for more than 2.5
years, or half of the five-year governorship period.

Sutiyoso delivered his speech on June 5 before the city
councillors, who -- according to Law No.22/1999 on Regional
Autonomy -- have the right to evaluate, accept or reject the
speech and submit the final result, as a recommendation, to the
President.

According to the councillors, many of his statement in the
written speech was unclear.

Previously, the city councillors had the rights only to listen
to the governor's speech without having the authority to give
their evaluation.

Prior to the Thursday meeting, only PPP had publicly announced
its rejection of Sutiyoso's speech.

Failing to reach an agreement on the speech, the council
leaders and chairpersons of the 11 factions initially decided to
hold a closed vote to settle the differences after a consultative
session.

Debate was rife after council speaker Edy Waluyo announced the
decision, since the councillors were divided on the matter
whether to hold an open or closed vote.

But some of them argued that closed voting would protect the
rights of each councillor and avoid possible emotional reactions
later, while others pointed out that open voting would clearly
reflect each faction's position in the matter.

"We will only join an open vote. We will walk out of the
plenary session if closed voting is adopted," threatened Tjuk
Sudono of the 13-member PAN faction.

On the other hand, chairman of the three-member PKB faction,
Tubagus Abbas Ma'mun threatened to walk out if the voting was to
be held in an open session.

"We'll walk out," he said.

The arguments lasted for more than two hours after several
adjournments to resolve the matter. The councillors also
succeeded in revoking the use of a 2000 council decree, that
stipulates, among other things, the need for a secrete ballot.

In an open vote, 15 councillors voted in favor of closed
voting, 67 voted against, and two abstained.

The council finally decided at 6 p.m. to conduct an open
ballot to decide whether or not it would endorse Sutiyoso's
accountability speech.

But the rejection will not automatically mean that the
governor has to relinquish his position.

According to Law No.22/1999, the governor will be given a 30-
day period to provide detailed explanations to the factions'
questions in a new speech.

Even if the improved speech is rejected, the city council has
to invite independent experts to form a second opinion in an open
public hearing before sending a recommendation to the central
government to replace Sutiyoso.

Protests were also aired from outside the plenary hall by some
250 people from four groups: the Jakarta Partners Communication
Forum (Fokorja), the Jakarta Residents Forum (FAKTA), vendors of
Serdang market and the Communication Forum of the 124 victims of
the July 27, 1996 tragedy (FKK 124-27 Juli'96), calling for the
councillors to reject Sutiyoso's speech.

Commenting on the rejection, Sutiyoso said he wasn't affected
at all and would keep running the administration as usual.

"I accept any decision made by city councillors as long as
they asses my achievements and performance objectively," he told
reporters after the meeting.

"I will just follow the procedures. I'll provide more answers
and explanations to the councillors," he added.

Sutiyoso felt that some of the councillors had given objective
assessments while others failed to do so, using the city-run Bank
DKI questions as an example.

"The councillors kept asking me why Bank DKI's non-performing
loans were separated from its bookkeeping. They took it as a way
to fool them," he said.

"I don't think they understand that the transfer was required
by the central bank prior to recapitalization. We can't do
anything but follow," he added, while saying the loans were
managed by different bookkeeping.

He also asked councillors to consider the national condition
prior to his governorship.

"We all must realize that my tenure is severely affected by
the multidimensional crisis that has hit our country since 1997,
just before I was sworn in as the governor," he said.

"Not to mention riots and unrest before and after the fall of
the New Order regime," he added. (06/nvn)