Fired Golkar councillor elected NTB governor<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram,
\nWest Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
In an unexpected move, chief councillor Lalu Serinate was elected
\nthe new governor of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) here on Monday,
\nbeating incumbent governor Harun Al Rasyid, whose running mate
\nwas his secretary Nanang Samodra.<\/p>\n
Serinate garnered 28 of the 55 votes against only 14 taken by
\nHarun in the election in the NTB legislative council, which he
\ncurrently chairs, in the provincial capital of Mataram.<\/p>\n
Another candidate, Mesir Suryadi, who leads the provincial
\nchapter of the Golkar Party, got one less vote than the defeated
\nincumbent governor.<\/p>\n
Harun once announced a bid to contest the Jakarta governorship
\nin 2002, but eventually canceled his plan for unclear reasons.<\/p>\n
Serinate had been fired as a senior executive of Golkar for
\nseeking the post of governor on a United Development Party (PPP)
\nticket. But he had yet to receive an official notification of his
\ndismissal as of Monday.<\/p>\n
Seven other Golkar councillors who supported Serinate also
\nface dismissal from their party, the political vehicle of former
\npresident Soeharto during his 32-year rule until 1998.<\/p>\n
Golkar backed the pairing of Mesir and Ismaildin Wahab in the
\nelection, which was guarded by around 700 police personnel.<\/p>\n
The victory of Serinate, paired with the secretary of the
\nSumbawa regency administration, Thamrin Rayes, was warmly hailed
\nby his supporters.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of these staged a motorcycle convey across Mataram to
\ncerebrate.<\/p>\n
Former rector of the Mataram-based Muhammadiyah University
\nAgusfian Wahab said the election of Serinate for the 2003-2008
\nterm should be supported by local people.<\/p>\n
"The win of Serinate and Rayes is a victory for the people's
\nconscience", he was quoted by Antara as saying in Mataram.<\/p>\n
He said the "conscience-based approach" adopted by Serinate
\nhad proven effective in countering the many academic analyses by
\nvarious scholars who had predicted that the pairing of Harun and
\nNanang would win the election.<\/p>\n
Agusfian claimed that Serinate won the gubernatorial election
\ndemocratically and fairly as he had not used bribery to elicit
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
"The governor-elect relied on silahturrahmi (brotherhood) and
\nthe establishment of close relations with the NTB's people. So,
\nhe managed to void money politics," he said.<\/p>\n
He hoped that Serinate would be able to overcome the problems
\nconfronting the province during his five-year term in office.<\/p>\n
Support also came from local community leader and legal expert
\nSaid Ruhpina, who urged the people of NTB to give their backing
\nto the election of Serinate.<\/p>\n
"The victory of the Serinate-Thamrin team is the result of the
\nlocal people's prayers. Therefore, we should accept it happily,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said the winning pair were the best candidates, and
\ndeserved their victory.<\/p>\n
Ruhpina warned of political maneuvers by supporters of the
\ndefeated candidates to foil the gubernatorial election outcome.<\/p>\n
He advised the governor-elect to hold a thanksgiving ceremony
\nto celebrate the unexpected victory by involving all elements of
\nthe local community.<\/p>\n
The election's results still have to be presented to President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri through Minister of Home Affairs Hari
\nSabarno for endorsement. Presidential approval will allow
\nSerinate to be sworn in.<\/p>\n
Ruhpina said the election of Serinate had a "special meaning"
\nfor the people of Sumbawa island, the governor-elect's place of
\norigin, as they had been waiting for their island to produce the
\ntop NTB leader for almost 40 years.<\/p>\n
Community leaders from Sumbawa shared Agusfian's opinion that
\nSerinate's win was not because of a "materialistic approach"
\nbut rather the "strong emotional relationships" he established
\nwith local people.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fired-golkar-councillor-elected-ntb-governor-1447893297",
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