J

akartans will be the first to fall victim to the prolonged conflict between Jakarta Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama and the City Council, as the political squabbling will delay or disrupt programs set to be financed by the city budget, including urgent infrastructure projects.

The bickering peaked on Thursday, when the council unanimously approved the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate '€œbudget forgery'€ allegedly committed by the outspoken governor. Everybody knows the political move could lead to Ahok'€™s impeachment, although that can only transpire if the council convinces the Supreme Court that Ahok broke the law.

The councilors have accused Ahok of changing the draft city budget they approved on Jan. 27 before he submitted it to the Home Ministry. The council also alleges Ahok violated various regulations, including Law No. 17/2003 on state finance and Government Regulation No. 58/2005 on regional financial management.

Ahok has denied the allegations, saying he submitted electronic documents based on the draft budget approved by the council as part of his bid to promote e-budgeting and a push for transparency. The governor instead accused certain councilors of inserting questionable programs worth Rp 12.1 trillion (US$968 million) in the Rp 73.1 trillion draft budget after it was approved.

The law establishes the council'€™s inquiry rights, which in the West Java regency of Tasikmalaya and North Sumatra regency of Tanah Karo ended with impeachment of the regional heads there. But the political move is unnecessary and avoidable as it stems merely from procedural confusion related to the handling of the regional budget. Many have questioned why Jakarta councilors did not first exercise their interpellation rights, which would have given Ahok the chance to explain himself.

The political brouhaha is counterproductive because the policymakers will spend much time exchanging arguments rather than addressing the city'€™s chronic problems. The power play shows that city leaders will indulge their respective egos at the expense of the public interest.

We remain in the dark as to where the political drama will lead. The longer the dispute lasts the more taxpayer-funded programs will see delays. Both the Jakarta government and city council only completed the budget deliberation in late February, three months behind the deadline. If the wrangling drags on for another two months it is likely most of the budget will be left undisbursed, as happened last year.

Therefore, it is better for both Ahok and city councilors to sit down and talk with cool heads about their differences, and to find common ground. Both the executive and legislative branches have to cooperate, not only for political stability, but, more importantly, for the delivery of public services.

The councilors should prove that their move is really what the people want. Meanwhile, Ahok needs to refrain from exacerbating tensions with his combative attitude. They are elected to serve the people, not their own interests.