Pardede installed despite controversy<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno oversaw the inauguration on
\nMonday for governor-elect T. Rizal Nurdin and deputy Rudolf
\nPardede despite the ongoing investigation of the latter, who
\nallegedly has a fake high school diploma.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the inauguration, Hari said that Pardede would
\nbe held responsible if he is found guilty.<\/p>\n
He said that the central government would not take any actions
\nbefore the North Sumatra Police finish their investigation. The
\npolice are still researching the case and have sent a special
\nteam to a high school in Sukabumi, West Java, which Pardede
\nclaimed that he had graduated from.<\/p>\n
Hari has apparently decided not to intervene until the probe
\nis complete.<\/p>\n
\"Pardede was inaugurated today. If he has any legal problems,
\nthey will be his responsibility. The legal process must
\ncontinue,\" Hari said.<\/p>\n
The inauguration ceremony was boycotted by all the councillors
\nfrom the Golkar Party faction. They had threatened on Friday to
\nboycott the event due to their disappointment over the central
\ngovernment's decision to allow Pardede to be installed as the
\ndeputy governor despite the controversial case that has attracted
\npublic attention.<\/p>\n
Rizal and Pardede were both nominated by the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and won the vote
\non May 26 against Chairuman Harahap, chief of the North Sumatra
\nProsecutor's Office, and Serta Ginting, deputy speaker of the
\nNorth Sumatra Council from Golkar Party faction. Rizal and
\nPardede won the vote 51 to 33.<\/p>\n
Pardede -- son of the late T.D. Pardede, a successful
\nbusinessman -- is chairman of the North Sumatra branch of PDI
\nPerjuangan.<\/p>\n
Around 2,000 police officers were deployed to guard the
\ninauguration, which was also attended by other high ranking
\nofficials, including Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, former North
\nSumatra governor Raja Inal Siregar, several legislators and
\ndelegates from neighboring countries.<\/p>\n
According to Hari, Pardede claimed that his high school
\ndiploma was missing. He later attached a letter informing the
\nelection committee that he graduated from the Penabur Christian
\nhigh school in Sukabumi before he ran for the deputy governor
\nposition. Hari said that Pardede graduated from a college abroad
\nbut would not say which country or the name of the college.<\/p>\n
The Penabur Christian high school principal Martha
\nChristiawati sent a letter dated May 28, 2003, informing the
\ncouncil and home ministry that there was no student named Rudolf
\nMazuoka Pardede on the school records.<\/p>\n
Hari explained that the Ministry of Home Affairs had examined
\nall the documentation for all North Sumatra gubernatorial
\ncandidates based on recommendations from the election committee
\nand the North Sumatra council.<\/p>\n
\"If there is any problems with a candidate's papers, including
\nRudolf Pardede, it would be the responsibility of the committee
\nand the faction which nominated him,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pardede told The Jakarta Post that he was not
\nfeeling any pressure about the allegation and would leave the
\ninvestigation to the police.<\/p>\n
\"The police are investigating, so let's just wait for the
\nresult,\" he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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