Losers protest N. Sumatra election<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
Seven independent candidates who had contested the North
\nSumatra gubernatorial election are seeking the annulment of Rizal
\nNurdin's reelection on Monday, alleging that they had been
\ndiscriminated against.<\/p>\n
Former candidate Roy Fachrobi Ginting said on Tuesday that the
\nelection process was biased against candidates without any
\npolitical affiliation.<\/p>\n
In his capacity as the spokesman for the other six independent
\ncandidates, Roy said he suspected their participation in the
\nelection was only a formality.<\/p>\n
"Look how factions announced their candidates for the
\ngovernorship, even though the selection period hadn't finished
\nyet," said Roy, who is a local entrepreneur. "Such practices were
\nvery unfavorable toward candidates who had not been nominated (by
\na political group), including myself."<\/p>\n
The North Sumatra legislative council voted on Monday 55 to 33
\nto reelect Rizal for another five years. Rizal was nominated by
\nthe council's largest faction, the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan). His running mate, Rudolf Pardede,
\nchairs PDI Perjuangan's North Sumatra branch.<\/p>\n
The pair must now pass a three-day grace period, during which
\ntime their election can be annulled if the public finds fault
\nwith the election process or with the pair's track record.<\/p>\n
Coming in second with 33 votes was Golkar-nominated pair
\nChaeruman Harahap and Serta Ginting.<\/p>\n
Under the 2001 Regional Autonomy Law, provincial councils may
\nelect their own governors, and independent candidates have since
\nsprouted to contest gubernatorial elections across the country's
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
Governor-elect Rizal and deputy governor-elect Rudolf were
\namong over 80 candidates who contested the election.<\/p>\n
The registration and selection period that lasted over two
\nweeks, however, ended with council factions proposing only
\ncandidates with a political background.<\/p>\n
Roy pointed out PDI Perjuangan's nomination, which he said had
\nfailed to take into account the entrance of independent
\ncandidates like himself. He had reportedly hoped to win PDI
\nPerjuangan's backing in the election.<\/p>\n
He also suspected that councillors had made up their minds
\nbefore the selection process even began, and thus neglected to
\nthoroughly screen their chosen nominees.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, he said, the missing high school diploma of one of
\nthe candidates could not have surfaced, as all candidates must
\nhave graduated from high school.<\/p>\n
Rizal had lost his high school diploma, a fact which passed by
\ncouncillors during the screening period.<\/p>\n
Among the six other candidates are Darma Indra Siregar,
\nMukhlis, Hiras Tobing, Renold Pasaribu and Maysarah Bahrum Jamil,
\nwho had lost a lawsuit to annul the election through the local
\nadministrative court earlier this month. Roy said they were
\nfiling an appeal.<\/p>\n
He added that they would also lodge a protest with the Supreme
\nCourt and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.<\/p>\n
They hoped the minister would recommend the North Sumatra
\ncouncil to hold a new election, he said.<\/p>\n
Golkar faction chairman Marzuki said that during the three-day
\ngrace period, the council was open to complaints from the public.<\/p>\n
However, he added that the grace period was restricted to
\npossible allegations of bribery among council members.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/losers-protest-n-sumatra-election-1447893297",
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