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)