Yogya’s sultans can run for Governor: Govt

The government says Yogyakarta’s nobles will be allowed to run for governor under its draft bill on the province’s special political status.

"The Sultan can be governor if he wants. He can nominate himself as governor and automatically be a candidate. If there are no other candidates, he will automatically become the governor and still be entitled to several privileges," Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said on Friday on the sidelines of an awards ceremony at the State Palace.

Gamawan said the bill would guarantee that Hamengkubuwono and other local nobles such as Sri Paduka Pakualam would keep their privileged places in Yogyakarta no matter who was elected governor.

"They will have higher positions than the democratically elected governor. The bill on Yogyakarta’s special status is aimed at ensuring that Yogyakarta’s leadership can continue. The Sultan is getting old and no longer wants to lead the region," Gamawan said as quoted by kompas.com news portal.