Tarmidi defies Megawati's order, enters race for Jakarta governorship
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
City chapter chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Tarmidi Suhardjo defied on Thursday party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri's support for Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso at the next gubernatorial election.
"I'm ready to be 'slapped' by Megawati and kicked out of the party. I would rather that happened than for me to betray my grassroots supporters," said Tarmidi, who is also the city council's deputy chairman.
He said that he had decided to continue to run as his party's candidate for governor after seeing strong support from party members before and after Megawati gave the green light to Sutiyoso's candidacy.
He said PDIP's 15 city chapter executives would meet with the party's central board on Friday evening to express their continuing support for him, because he had been nominated the party's gubernatorial candidate during their meeting two weeks ago.
"We consider Sutiyoso's nomination just a suggestion that does not necessarily have to be obeyed," said Tarmidi, who was named a suspect by the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office in a case involving controversial overseas trips last year dubbed Ancolgate.
Tarmidi revealed on Monday that he had met Megawati, who is also the country's President, last week to seek her blessing. Megawati told Tarmidi that the governorship should be handed to Sutiyoso while she preferred Tarmidi to be a deputy governor.
Sutiyoso's nomination has courted controversy because the former Jakarta Military Commander was believed to be involved in a bloody attack on the party's headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta on July 27, 1996.
At least 100 supporters of the party grouped under the Association of July 27 Tragedy Victims staged a protest at the council on Monday, calling Megawati a traitor for nominating Sutiyoso.
At least five supporters were killed and dozens went missing after the attack which was followed by a massive riot in the area.
Sutiyoso and several military, police officers were declared suspects in the tragedy by the National Police in November two years ago.
On Thursday, several student organizations, including the Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement (PMII) and the Youth Action Committee for Democracy (Kampud), rejected Sutiyoso's nomination.
They urged Megawati, Vice President and chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz who also supported Sutiyoso, to revoke their nomination, saying that it was against democracy.
Sutiyoso was seemed to get real challengers in the election which was scheduled on Sept. 17.
Besides Tarmidi, the incumbent Governor of West Nusa Tenggara, Harun Alrasyid, has also received strong support. His son, Zakcky Zuliansyah, took a form for his father's gubernatorial candidacy to the council on Thursday.
"My father has secured approval from the West Nusa Tenggara legislative body and will soon seek approval from the President," Zacky told reporters.
Harun, who was Jakarta's former deputy governor for development affairs, was reportedly supported by the former ruling Golkar Party, which has eight seats in the council, and some councillors from the National Mandate Party (PAN), which has 13 seats in the council.
The election will be determined by a total of 85 members of the city council, which has 30 councillors from the largest party, PDI Perjuangan, 13 from PAN, 12 from PPP, and nine from the Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police.