North Maluku new caretaker sworn in despite protests<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Defying mounting protests against the appointment of Sinyo Harry
\nSarundayang as acting North Maluku governor, Minister of Home
\nAffairs Hari Sabarno swore him in on Friday for the post to
\nreplace caretaker Brig. Gen. Abdul Muchyi Effendy.<\/p>\n
The inauguration of Sarundayang, the current inspector general
\nat the Ministry of Home Affairs, was ordered by President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri through a decree she signed on March 23,
\n2002.<\/p>\n
The swearing-in ceremony, held at Hari's office in Jakarta,
\nwas tightly guarded by around 200 police personnel to prevent
\npossible violent protests against the event.<\/p>\n
Hari stated that Sarundayang was installed to replace Muchyi
\nbecause the latter's one-year term of office would end this
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
The minister said the new caretaker's main job was to
\nfacilitate the gubernatorial elections for the 2002-2007 period
\n-- twice in the past the vote was annulled -- and to restore
\nnormalcy to the provincial administration.<\/p>\n
He hoped Sarundayang's appointment would end the controversies
\nover the election of Abdul Gafur and Yamin Tawari respectively as
\nNorth Maluku's first governor and deputy governor on July 5,
\n2001.<\/p>\n
The results of that election by the provincial legislative
\ncouncil were annulled by the central government due to strong
\nallegations of vote-buying and bribes.<\/p>\n
Hari later installed Muhyi as caretaker governor in the newly-
\ncreated province to facilitate a recall vote on March 7, 2002, in
\nwhich Thaib Armain and Yamin Waisale were elected.<\/p>\n
However, the central government declared that vote also to be
\nillegitimate as well, because the council had failed to reach a
\nquorum at the time of the vote.<\/p>\n
Earlier, an alliance of four North Maluku student associations
\nin Yogyakarta had urged Megawati to annul her presidential decree
\non the appointment of Sarundayang.<\/p>\n
The student groups instead demanded that the election of Thaib
\nArmain and Yamin Waisale be accepted as permanent.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/north-maluku-new-caretaker-sworn-in-despite-protests-1447893297",
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