Three Political Party Leaders Fail to Secure Seats

Malang, E Java (Antara) - The chairmen of three branches of political parties in the East Java city of Malang failed to secure seats in the local legislative council. Arif Dharmawan of the Democratic Party (PD), Helmy Teguh Yuwana of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and Lookh Mahfudz of the National Mandate Party (PAN) were the three chairmen who did not win seats. Arif Dharmawan, who is currently chairman of the Malang city legislative council (DPRD), lost to his party mate Indra Tjahyono from the same electoral constituency. Indra, who is now a member of the Commission B of the city legislative council, garnered 2.4 thousand votes in the April 9 legislative election, leaving Arif behind with 1.4 thousand votes. Lookh Mahfudz, who was seeking a second term in office from the Kendungkandang electoral constituency, lost to other PAN cadre, Mohan Katelu, who failed to secure a seat in the local legislative body in the 2009 election. Meanwhile, Helmy lost to other PKS cadre, Bambang Triyoso, who is currently a member of the city legislative council. "Being the chairman and member of the legislative council is the same for me, as both posts involve carrying out the party's mandate. So, it is not a problem for me to have failed to secure a seat in the council," he acknowledged. Arif stated that he wholeheartedly accepted his vote tally from the legislative election, although he failed to maintain his second term in office. "In any organization, including political parties, everything goes dynamically. So, I wholeheartedly accept what I have achieved in the legislative election this time," he remarked. According to Secretary of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP)'s branch in Malang, RB Priyatmoko Oetomo, the party looked set to secure 12 seats in the legislative council. In the 2009 election, the Democratic Party secured 12 seats, followed by PDIP with 7 seats, the Golkar Party, PAN, and PKB with 5 seats respectively, the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party with 2 seats, and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Peace and Prosperity Party (PDS) with 1 seat each. (*) Reporting by Endang Sukarelawati