Rift widens over N. Maluku gubernatorial election<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A dispute over the validity of the North Maluku gubernatorial
\nelection signaled a deepening rift between the Supreme Court and
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.<\/p>\n
The government and the Supreme Court differ sharply over the
\nbribery case surrounding the election of Abdul Gafur, a Golkar
\nParty member and New Order (Soeharto regime) stalwart. The
\nelection, which was held on July 5, was annulled by the local
\ncouncil in September.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the central government decided on Sept. 28 to
\nrecognize the annulment, the Supreme Court declared that the
\nelection was in fact legitimate and that Gafur should be sworn in
\nas governor.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Thursday that
\nthe President had the final say on the issue because governors
\nare the central government's representative in each province.<\/p>\n
\"A gubernatorial post is a political post... of course the
\nPresident has the authority in deciding the matters,\" Hari told
\njournalists.<\/p>\n
The supreme court decision, he said, fulfilled the legal
\naspects of the appointment but the larger issue is that this
\nparticular case relates to central governmental administration
\nand authority.<\/p>\n
\"For that reason the President has the right to support the
\nannulment,\" Hari said.<\/p>\n
The North Maluku Provincial Council's annulment of the
\nelection was based on Gafur's alleged involvement in bribery
\nduring the election. The council also made it clear that it had
\nfirm evidence of the bribery after two council members confessed
\nto working with Gafur while carrying out corrupt activities.<\/p>\n
The council is currently preparing a new election before the
\nend of this year.<\/p>\n
The central government, which set up a team to probe the case,
\nhad announced that there was alleged bribery in the election.
\nGafur himself admitted that he had indeed dispensed some money
\nbut he refused to call it a bribe.<\/p>\n
This is not the first time that the government had expressed
\nconcern over a Supreme Court decision.<\/p>\n
The first controversial decision taken by the highest judicial
\nbody was when it overturned a previous ruling and exonerated
\nformer president Soeharto's son Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra
\nearly last month.<\/p>\n
Tommy, who was involved in a major corruption case, was also a
\nkey Golkar player.<\/p>\n
Former president Abdurrahman Wahid during his tenure had
\nrefused to inaugurate Bagir Manan, the current chief justice,
\nclaiming that he was too closely connected to the New Order
\nregime and Golkar.<\/p>",
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