N. Sumatra likely to get another TNI governor<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
\nwhich President Megawati Soekarnoputri currently chairs, is
\nlikely to vote for the incumbent North Sumatra governor or
\nanother military figure in next year's gubernatorial election.<\/p>\n
The North Sumatra legislative council, where PDI Perjuangan is
\nthe largest faction with 30 seats, is scheduled to elect a new
\ngovernor for the 2003-2008 period in June.<\/p>\n
Japorman Saragih, a deputy chairman of North Sumatra PDI
\nPerjuangan, confirmed on Monday that his party was discussing
\nGovernor T. Rizal Nurdin and three other retired generals as
\npossible gubernatorial candidates.<\/p>\n
The three -- all retired major generals -- are former chief of
\nthe State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin) Syamsir
\nSiregar, PDI Perjuangan legislator Raja Kami Sembiring Meliala
\nand former East Java Brawijaya Military commander Sudi Silalahi.<\/p>\n
Legislators from several other factions have also shown
\nsupport for the incumbent governor, also a retired two-star
\ngeneral.<\/p>\n
Critics have accused Nurdin of lacking the determination to
\nfight corruption and other crimes in North Sumatra during his
\nfive-year term in office, which will end next year. They claim
\nthat the incumbent governor has attained no significant
\nachievements while leading the administration.<\/p>\n
The possible nominations by PDI Perjuangan of the four
\ngenerals surfaced despite reports that the faction would nominate
\nits North Sumatra party chairman Rudolf Pardede as its
\ngubernatorial candidate.<\/p>\n
However, Rudolf said recently the decision was not final and
\nPDI Perjuangan could ultimately pick a military figure to contest
\nthe election.<\/p>\n
\"PDI Perjuangan belongs to all of us. The party is open to
\ngubernatorial candidates from the TNI (Indonesian Military),\"
\nJaporman said quoting Rudolf.<\/p>\n
It is not clear, however, what caused the possible change in
\nthe party's candidates for the next governorship.<\/p>\n
Japorman argued that a military figure was still relevant to
\nlead the province, where crime is rampant. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
He said PDI Perjuangan leaders in the province were waiting
\nfor instructions from the party's central executive board to
\nofficially discuss supporting Nurdin or the three other generals.<\/p>\n
\"We have yet to receive instructions from the party's central
\nboard to select one of the four generals. But their nominations
\nhave been unofficially discussed among party leaders here,\"
\nJaporman told The Jakarta Post in Medan, North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Baskami Ginting, a PDI Perjuangan legislator in the province,
\nconfirmed that his party was exploring the possibility of
\nelecting a military figure as the next governor.<\/p>\n
\"We will adhere to a recommendation by the PDI Perjuangan
\ncentral board on someone to be appointed as its gubernatorial
\ncandidate for North Sumatra,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Baskami said he was optimistic that the candidate backed by
\nhis faction, which controls 85 percent of the seats in the
\nprovincial legislative council, would win the next gubernatorial
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The second largest faction in the provincial legislative
\ncouncil is Golkar with 17 seats followed by the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) with 11 seats. The National Mandate Party
\n(PAN) is represented by eight councillors.<\/p>\n
The names of several civilian figures have also been floated
\nto challenge the incumbent governor and the other three generals
\nin the race.<\/p>\n
They include deputy governor Abdul Wahab Dalimunthe, who
\nchairs the North Sumatra Golkar Party, PPP chairman of the
\nprovincial chapter Hasrul Azwar and head of the province's
\nprosecutor's office Chairuman Harahap.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/n-sumatra-likely-to-get-another-tni-governor-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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