Kampar Regent must go: Councillors<\/p>\n
Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau<\/p>\n
A special team of Kampar regency councillors on Wednesday
\nrecommended the dismissal of Regent Jefri Noer and his deputy,
\nZakir, following massive protests by teachers and students in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Chairman Yurmailis Saroji said the recommendation was made
\nafter the team went to a series of schools and talked to
\ncommunity leaders about the protests.<\/p>\n
His deputy, Syafrizal, said both men should be forced to
\nresign because a crisis of confidence in the regental government
\nhad spread throughout Kampar following the protests.<\/p>\n
Most schools have been closed in the area after students and
\nteachers took to street on Tuesday last week calling for the
\nresignation of Jefri, who they said had insulted the teaching
\nprofession.<\/p>\n
Jefri had ordered high school principal Abdul Latif Hasyim to
\nleave a meeting after he questioned the state's low education
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
\"The crisis of confidence in the government, manifested by the
\nprotests, has disrupted the wheels of Kampar's bureaucracy,\"
\nSyafrizal said in council buildings in Kampar.<\/p>\n
Zulher, the spokesman for the administration, denied
\nbureaucracy was affected to the protest.<\/p>\n
\"The protest has only closed the schools. All government
\noffices are open as usual, and we are ready to serve the public,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The unanimous recommendation by the team of 13, would be
\npresented to the council's plenary meeting on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The outcomes of the consultation would be conveyed to a
\nplenary meeting on Saturday, the day on which the council is set
\nto decide Jefri's fate.<\/p>\n
Jefri has been in the spotlight after he ordered a teacher to
\nleave a meeting on Thursday two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Tension rose when principal Abdul questioned Jefri on the
\nregency's low education budget.<\/p>\n
The regent had only allocated 5.39 percent of the Rp 700
\nbillion (US$82.2 million) budget this year to education -- far
\nbelow the minimum 20 percent required by the Indonesian
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
The regent became angry and ordered Abdul to leave the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Jefri has been in controversy before. In 2002, he was accused
\nof using a fake senior high school diploma to become eligible to
\nstand for the post of regent.<\/p>\n
He was voted out by the Kampar Regency Council but the
\ndecision was annulled by Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of teachers and students
\ncontinued to strike on Wednesday, the eighth day of the protest.
\nThe protesters have said they will only halt their action if the
\nregent resigns.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, 10 high ranking officials in the
\nregency administration went to Kampar and urged the councillors
\nto oust Jefri -- another serious blow to his chances.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, the Minister for Administrative Affairs, Feisal
\nTamin, said he had ordered a team of officials to investigate
\nprotests by students and teachers there.<\/p>\n
He urged both parties to negotiate.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kampar-regent-must-go-councillors-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }