Two councilors urged to resign

Two councilors urged to resign

JAKARTA (JP): A group of 50 members of the United Development
Party (PPP) have asked the party's Jakarta chapter chairman
Rusjdi Hamka and his brother Affif Hamka to leave their posts at
the City Council.

The group coordinator, Andy M. Sholeh, accused Rusjdi, who is
deputy council speaker, of acting nepotistically in recruiting
Affif as a councilor for the 1998/2003 term.

His brother is now deputy chairman of Council Commission E for
social welfare.

"Our move is in reaction to the council's recent promise to
bring an end to collusion, corruption and nepotism in their
affairs.

"For that reason we urge Rusjdi and Affif to step down,"
Sholeh told council speaker Edy Waluyo.

Rusjdi and Affif are sons of the late Hamka, one of the
country's most respected ulemas.

According to Edy, the council had earlier received a similar
request from the PPP Central Jakarta branch office demanding
three of the parties' councilors -- Affif, Ali Imran Husein and
Azwar Abbas -- resign for the same reasons.

However, the chapter gave no further details, Edy said.

"Principally, it's the party's responsibility to take action
against their members," he said.

Rusjdi and Affif were not available to comment yesterday, but
colleagues Ali and Azwar denied the accusations and said they
were recruited through a legal process.

"I was brought onto the council because of my experience in
the party since 1982," said Ali. (ind)