Businessman elected West Kalimantan governor<\/p>\n
Bambang Bider, The Jakarta Post, Pontianak<\/p>\n
Businessman Usman Djafar and running mate Laurentius Hermanus
\nKadir were elected governor and vice governor respectively of
\nWest Kalimantan for the 2003 to 2008 period in a tightly guarded
\nplenary meeting at the provincial legislature (DPRD) here on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
The pair received 32 of 54 votes to defeat competitors Gusti
\nSyamsumin and Massardy Kaphat, who collected 22 votes in the
\nsecond round of elections.<\/p>\n
The elected pair will face public scrutiny in the next five
\ndays before they are inaugurated on Jan. 13, 2003.<\/p>\n
The legislature has given the public the opportunity to
\nscrutinize governor candidates from Dec. 13 through 17, including
\nexposing any involvement they may have had in criminal activity.<\/p>\n
Secretary of West Kalimantan provincial legislature Morni
\nSyahidan said the legislators would convene on Dec. 17 to assess
\nany reports submitted by the public about the governor-elect and
\nvice governor-elect.<\/p>\n
A day later, on Dec. 18, legislators are scheduled to endorse
\nthe election of Usman and Kardi before submitting their names to
\nthe home affairs ministry.<\/p>\n
Syahidan said that the elected candidates could be annulled
\nshould they be proved guilty of buying votes or involvement in
\nmoney politics during their elections.<\/p>\n
Usman and Kadir were nominated by the United Development Party
\n(PPP), while Gusti and Kaphat were supported by the Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
Four pairs of candidates competed in the first round of
\nelections on Thursday. Usman and Kadir collected 21 votes, while
\nGusti and Kaphat received 19.<\/p>\n
Two other pairs, Djawari-Rudy Alamsyahrum, and Henri Usman-
\nMichael Oendeon collected 6 and 8 votes respectively.<\/p>\n
Djawari and Rudy were nominated by President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan), while Henri-Michael were backed by the Unity in
\nDiversity Party (PBI).<\/p>\n
The plenary meeting, presided over by DPRD chairman Silvanus
\nSungkalang, was attended by outgoing Governor Aspar Aswin and
\npolice chief Brig. Gen. Iwan Pandjiwinata.<\/p>\n
\"Thanks be to God. May I can carry out this mandate for the
\nbenefit of West Kalimantan province,\" Usman, who is also a
\ndirector of the ALatief Corp., was quoted by Antara as saying on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
The election was tightly guarded by security forces in
\nanticipation of possible violence.<\/p>\n
Military and police personnel were deployed to some strategic
\nplaces, including in the Assembly hall and its surroundings.<\/p>\n
Before the election, all 54 councillors were briefed at the
\nPontianak Police Headquarters before being transported to the
\nlegislature, some 400 meters away.<\/p>\n
Barbed wire was also placed outside the legislature building
\nto prevent thousands of supporters of candidates from entering
\nthe legislature compound.<\/p>\n
Police chief Brig. Gen. Iwan Pandjiwinata praised the people
\nof West Kalimantan for maintaining security and order during the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
He expressed the hope that stability during gubernatorial
\nelections might signal the return of security and order in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"The provincial police thank the public for their orderly
\nbehavior,\" Iwan said, adding that if they could maintain that
\nstate of affairs, the provincial administration could continue
\nits development programs throughout the province.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/businessman-elected-west-kalimantan-governor-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}