Bogor DPRD Pockets 3 Names Of Candidates For Acting Mayor

The chairman of the Bogor City DPRD Atang Trisnanto when interviewed after a plenary meeting at the local council building, Thursday (30/11/2023) afternoon. (ANTARA/Linna Susanti)

BOGOR - The Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) of Bogor City, West Java, pocketed three names of candidates for acting mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto whose term of office was completed at the end of December 2023.

Bogor City DPRD chairman Atang Trisnanto said the leadership of the council had held a meeting with factions to discuss the proposed candidates for mayor. The proposal was narrowed to the names of three echelon II officials, but the three names could not be announced.

"We have closed it, each faction has a quota to propose three names, but there are the same names so the number is less than 10 names. It has narrowed three names, it seems that acclamation, because in the meeting we have the same view, just wait for the announcement," said Atang as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, November 30.

Atang explained that the Ministry of Home Affairs i had sent a letter to the Bogor City DPRD to prepare a proposal for three candidates for mayor one month before the definitive official ended his term of office in December 2023.

The proposals for the acting regional heads must be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs on December 6, 2023. Therefore, the Bogor City DPRD plans to hold a meeting and announce three names proposed as acting mayors.

According to Atang, DPRD members agreed to want city officials who are close to Bogor City, both knowing this rainy city and residents of Bogor natives.

In addition, the DPRD wants the figure who is the acting mayor to be a neutral person in facing the 2024 General Election.

"We want to ensure that the mayor of the city is neutral in the election, does not side with certain parties or certain figures," he said.

However, Atang respects the steps taken by the Mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya Sugiarto, who is filing a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court regarding the term of office of the regional head.

Bima Arya Sugiarto became one of the plaintiffs of the Pilkada Law to the Constitutional Court regarding the interpretation of the five-year term held by the regional head for the 2019-2024 period to be reduced if he was replaced by an official in December 2023.

Apart from Bima Arya, other applicants in this case include Murad Ismail (Governor of Maluku), Emil Elestianto Dardak (Vice Governor of East Java), Dedie A. Rachim (Deputy Mayor of Bogor), Marten A. Taha (Mayor of Gorontalo), Hendri Septa (Mayor of Padang), and Khairul (Mayor of Tarakan).

Para pemohon tersebut mempersoalkan norma Pasal 201 ayat (5) UU Pilkada yang berbunyi "Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur, Bupati dan Wakil Bupati, serta Wali Kota dan Wakil Wali Kota hasil Pemilihan tahun 2018 menjabat sampai dengan tahun 2023."

Currently, the lawsuit trial has entered its second stage by inviting each regional head to submit the points of the lawsuit.

"We at the DPRD carry out our duties as stated in the Ministry of Home Affairs letter. We are considering the names of the proposed officials. Regarding Pak Bima's lawsuit to the Constitutional Court, of course we respect that," said Atang.