Two-round election gives Bogor new mayor

Two-round election gives Bogor new mayor

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Diani Budiarto, the incumbent assistant for development affairs,
and M. Sahid, the Bogor Council speaker from the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), won the Bogor mayoral
election on Wednesday.

The election was colored by the presence of paranormal Ki
Gendeng Pamungkas, who came out in support of Diani.

Diani and Sahid won the election in a second round of voting,
after the first round ended in a tie between the eventual winners
and the director of water operator PDAM, Helmi Soetikno, and his
running mate Zaenal Amirudin Umar, a deputy speaker of the
council from the United Development Party (PPP).

The two pairings received 21 votes each, while legislator Tb
Soemandjaya and Pakuan University lecturer Soekmana Soma were
knocked out of the election after garnering just three votes in
the first round.

In the second round of voting, which began at 1 p.m., Diani
and Sahid were declared the winners with 21 votes. Helmi and
Zaenal received 18 votes, five ballots were declared invalid and
there was one abstention.

Diani's victory was predicted before the voting began by
Gendeng.

"As a paranormal who is involved with genies, I deployed 2,300
genies and 750 people to support Diani in the election. If he
lost, I would have asked my men to burn tires on the street to
make it merrier," he said.

Diani and Sahid's victory was celebrated by Bogor's civil
servants, particularly the district and subdistrict chiefs who
backed Diani in the election.

Outgoing Bogor Mayor Iswara Natanegara said the election was
fair and in accordance with all regulations.

"I just hope that the new mayor will be able to continue the
development programs in Bogor city," he said.

About 800 members of the police and military provided security
for the election. To ensure there were no disturbances, traffic
along Jl. Kapten Muslihat, where the city council building is
located, was closed from the morning. Motorists were rerouted to
Jl. Paledang.

Five schools along the road -- Regina Pacis, Budi Mulia,
Mardiyuana, SMU I state high school and SMP I state junior high
school -- were closed for the election. Four nearby banks and a
shopping mall were also asked to close their doors on Wednesday.