Youth activists want Tangerang mayor to quit
Youth activists want Tangerang mayor to quit
TANGERANG (JP): At least 75 youth activists visited the local
council here to demand that Mayor Djakaria Machmud resign
immediately from his current post.
Calling themselves the Tangerang Rescuers Forum (FPT), the
youths told councillors on Monday that Djakaria had visibly
failed to carry out his duties.
The group spokesman T.B. Mahdi Ardiansyah cited the mayor's
failure to curb the levy of illegal fees on the issue of identity
cards as an example of his incompetence.
Payments required to obtain an ID card in the mayoralty are
now Rp 75,000 per card, 10 times higher than the official rate of
Rp 7,500, he said.
He also pointed to the Tangerang forest park, developed to
provide a recreation site for families in the heart of the
municipality, but which has become notorious for prostitution,
crime and dating teenagers, Ardiansyah explained.
"The city forest park has provided more bad things than good
things," he said.
The group insisted councillors sign a statement promising that
they would not support any attempt by Djakaria to stand for a
second term in office later this month.
After listening to the youths' requests, councillors -- led by
speaker Dedy Moeljono -- requested permission to retire to hold
an internal discussion so that they could come to a consensual
agreement.
The youths finally agreed to give them 15 minutes.
Later, Dedy and fellow councillors Rusman Umar and Syafruddin
-- respectively from the Armed forces, Golkar and United
Development Party factions -- came out to meet the protesters
again.
The councillors claimed that Djakaria's term had come to an
end earlier that day and he had submitted his resignation
letter six months previously, as required by the law.
Dedy did not reveal whether or not Djakaria had stated an
intention to stand for reelection in the letter.
He announced that the council would begin an investigation
into the allegations leveled at Djakaria by the protesters, but
he and his fellow councillors refused to sign the protesters'
statement, arguing that it was unconstitutional.
However, group leader Ahdiansyah persisted with his demand,
revealing at the same time his knowledge of rumors, rife in the
town, that each council member had received "security fees" worth
Rp 200 million from the mayor.
Ahdiansyah's remarks turned the councillors' faces red.
"That's slander. We did not receive any bribes. We don't want
to sign the statement because it's unconstitutional," Rusman Umar
said emotionally.
Meanwhile, mayoralty spokesman Harry Mulya Zein said that all
charges associated with the issue of identity cards had been
stopped as of Monday.
The service is now free, he said.
"We call on our officers in the districts and subdistricts to
uphold the policy," Harry added.
Regarding the forest park, he said the mayoralty would
continue their joint operation with local security forces in an
attempt to improve the park's image.
"We are also waiting for a report on the alleged role of the
mayor in corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices which
occurred during his term in office," Harry said.
The law requires that an outgoing mayor be examined by a
special committee at the end of his or her term. (41/jun)