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Prijanto Writes Book About Decision to Quit as Deputy Jakarta Governor
Dofa Fasila | January 26, 2012

Jakarta Deputy Governor Prijanto says he quit out of frustration over problems in the administration. (File Photo) Jakarta Deputy Governor Prijanto says he quit out of frustration over problems in the administration. (File Photo)
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Outgoing Jakarta Deputy Governor Prijanto has explained the reasons for his resignation in a 124-page book, “Kenapa Saya Mundur” (“Why I Resign”).

The book was originally intended to be distributed to members of the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD), which was scheduled to deliberate whether it would accept Prijanto’s resignation on Wednesday.

However, the hearing was canceled after only 48 of the total 94 council members attended. Any resolution at a DPRD plenary session requires the attendance of two-thirds of the members, or 71 councilors.

DPRD Speaker Ferrial Sofyan said Prijanto’s resignation would not be recognized by the council unless he presented his explanation at a DPRD plenary session.

“Prijanto stated his reason during a meeting with council leaders, but we want it to be done in a plenary,” he said. The speaker added that in a plenary session, each DPRD faction would be given the chance to express its opinion on the resignation.

It is not known when the next plenary session will be held, nor why all 32 lawmakers from the Democratic Party failed to attend the session on Wednesday.

With the hearing canceled, Prijanto instead distributed the book to journalists. The book, he said, contains the same materials he had intended to share in his presentation to the council.

“I have prepared my speech for the plenary about the personal reasons of my resignation,” he said. “The contents of my speech are not only for the council members, but for all Jakarta residents and also for the Jakarta governor [Fauzi Bowo].”

The book, Prijanto said, focuses on three issues that are plaguing Fauzi’s administration: an unethical bureaucracy, financial mismanagement and improper procedures for appointing officials to posts at province-owned enterprises.

“The material in the book has been read by several experts, and they all agreed with it,” he said.

Prijanto said that during his time as Fauzi’s deputy, he had been powerless to stop the many controversial policies and decisions made by the governor, though many staffers in his office urged him to take a stand.

“I could only remind my staff, ‘You and I are not the governor. The decision is in the governor’s hands,’ ” he said, confirming speculation that he and Fauzi no longer see eye to eye.

Chief of the city’s Financial Management Agency, Sukri Bey, dismissed Prijanto’s claims that Fauzi’s administration was rife with mismanagement.

“The Jakarta government’s financial management was given a clean bill of health by national and international auditors,” he said. He added that for the last three years, Standard & Poor’s had given Jakarta a BB rating, two notches below investment grade.

Sukri said that Jakarta only needed to manage its assets that are currently in dispute with third parties.

“The assets in dispute only account for 4.7 percent of all assets owned by the Jakarta government. Once that problem is solved, the Jakarta government will surely received an unqualified audit opinion from the BPK,” he said, referring to the Supreme Audit Agency.

Although Prijanto has stressed that his decision to resign has nothing to do with the upcoming 2012 gubernatorial election, rumors have circulated indicating that he is quitting so he can join the race.

Prijanto held talks with a number of political parties shortly after submitting his resignation.