Yogyakartans welcome sultan as their new governor
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Thousands of Yogyakartans applauded outside the provincial legislative council building after Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid swore in traditional monarch Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X as their new governor on Saturday.
In contrast to the sultan, whose car was thronged by the cheerful supporters along the famed Jl. Malioboro, the minister's vehicle sped away from crowds waiting for him with posters criticizing his apparent reluctance to make their sultan governor.
Syarwan praised the sultan in his ceremony speech. "Sri Sultan has often shown his high capability in communicating with the people and is very responsive to their aspirations," adding this provided the sultan's legitimacy for leadership.
Outside, banners read: "Syarwan Hamid, you must surrender to the people, you are a coward."
Allegations that the government was reluctant to have the sultan as governor was evident in debates on why the government referred to the 1974 law on regional administration which requires three candidates for any governorship.
In August the only other candidate -- Yogyakarta United Development Party (PPP) chapter chairman Alfian Darmawan -- resigned after hostile reaction to his candidacy. He had been nominated by his party's faction in the council.
Observers had said the government should have used the 1950 law regarding Yogyakarta's special status. The law states the province, as a traditional monarchy, is led by the King as governor for life.
Under the 1974 law Sri Sultan will serve a maximum of two five-year terms, which he said he had no objection to. "If I wanted to serve for life it would mean I am antidemocracy, while on May 20 I pledged support to the reform movement," he said. Sri Sultan came to national notice when he led hundreds of thousands of people through Yogyakarta's streets in a peaceful march a day before Soeharto resigned.
The Yogyakarta provincial legislative council in August unanimously elected Sri Sultan as the only candidate for governor to replace then acting governor Paku Alam VIII who died in the same month. Paku Alam replaced Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX after the former vice president died in 1988.
The candidacy of the sultan received widespread support, including from university professors here.
The support was indicated by traders bringing in all sorts of fruit, food and spices to the sultan's palace in the 24 hours before the swearing-in ceremony.
The packed ceremony was attended by about 1,000 invitees, including Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung, State Minister of National Development Planning Boediono and Diponegoro Military Commander Maj. Gen. Tyasno Sudharto.
In defiance of the government, around 100,000 locals gathered in August to unofficially install the sultan as governor in their own way. A 68-year-old pedicab driver, Tukiran Sukiyat, demanded recognition of Sri Sultan as the governor and the maintenance of the special regional status accorded to Yogyakarta for decades.
Sri Sultan, called Ngerso Dalem by many people, has said he plans to form a crisis center to handle ways to solve the crisis, particularly through labor intensive projects.
Unlike other traditional monarchs, he has only one wife, G.K.R. Hemas. When meeting people presenting foodstuffs at the palace, she said: "I hope that Ngerso Dalem will be able to reduce people's suffering." (23/44/prb)