Election rerun planned for Lampung governor<\/p>\n
Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has indicated that
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri is likely to annul the result of
\nthe Dec. 30, 2002, Lampung gubernatorial election and ask the
\nprovincial legislature to hold another election.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of Central Java
\nGovernor Mardiyanto for another five-year term in Semarang on
\nSaturday, the minister said Alziers Dianis Thabranie, who won the
\nLampung election, was allegedly involved in several cases that
\ncalled into question his ability to lead the province.<\/p>\n
\"If he committed one or two errors ... we would likely pardon
\nhim. But he has allegedly done this many times and it has become
\na habit,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The minister declined to discuss in detail the allegations
\nagainst Alziers.<\/p>\n
Hari did say the Lampung provincial legislative council had
\nstudied the matter and was preparing to hold another
\ngubernatorial election.<\/p>\n
\"According to the provincial legislature, the election process
\nwill start from the first phase of gubernatorial candidates being
\nnominated,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alziers, who is in the custody of the prosecutor's office in
\nBandar Lampung, has been undergoing medical treatment for
\npancreatic cancer at a hospital in Bandar Lampung, after several
\nweeks in detention at the National Police Headquarters in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The suspect will be brought to trial once he is declared
\nphysically able.<\/p>\n
Dr. Saragih, who is treating Alziers at the Bumi Waras
\nHospital in Bandar Lampung, told Kompas daily on Friday there was
\nno special action being taken to treat the patient.<\/p>\n
\"There is no special action. We are doing the same treatment
\nas his doctors at the Kramatjati Hospital in Jakarta,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Jauhari Zaelani, a political analyst at Lampung University,
\ncalled on the President to make an immediate decision on Alziers
\nto avoid any confusion in Lampung.<\/p>\n
\"The President, who has the last say on the results of the
\ngubernatorial election, should decide whether Alziers will be
\nsworn in or not. If his victory is annulled, the President should
\nask the provincial legislative council to rehold the
\ngubernatorial election. The central government should not let the
\nleadership of the provincial administration remain vacant for a
\nlong time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Harun Al Rasyid, a constitutional law expert in Jakarta, said
\nrecently that the Lampung provincial council could sue the
\ncentral government for overstepping its authority and causing a
\neight-month delay in the inauguration of Alziers.<\/p>\n
He said said the government violated autonomy law No. 22\/1999,
\nwhich grants regions the right to elect their own governors.<\/p>\n
\"The government must play by the rules, and it did not,\" Harun
\nsaid.<\/p>",
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