Students oppose TNI candidates for governor<\/p>\n
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students from Muhammadiyah University and the
\nMakassar Islamic Teaching Institute went on strike in the South
\nSulwesi provincial capital of Makassar on Monday, in opposition
\nto the province's gubernatorial candidates coming from the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
The strike caused major traffic congestion along main streets
\nof the city as the students marched from their campus to the city
\ncenter to seek local people's political support for their view.<\/p>\n
In front of the provincial legislature building, the
\ndemonstrators held a free speech forum, demanding that the
\nlegislative council drop all candidates who had a military
\nbackground, their main reason being that besides being
\nunqualified professionally, such candidates were not committed to
\nreform.<\/p>\n
\"The most important thing is we are against a governor from
\nthe military as a replacement for outgoing Governor HZB
\nPalaguna,\" said a demonstrator.<\/p>\n
Of nine names submitted to the legislative council, four are
\nretired servicemen. They are: former information minister Let.
\nGen. (ret) Junus Yosfiah, chairman of the provincial legislature
\nMaj. Gen. (ret) Amin Syam, former spokesman for the Indonesian
\nMilitary Maj. Gen. Amir Syarifudin and former attorney general
\nLt. Gen. (ret) Andi Ghalib.<\/p>\n
The civilians are: rector of Hasanuddin University Radi A.
\nGani, local businessmen Aksa Mahmud and HM Afifuddin, legislator
\nof the Golkar Party Nurdin Halid and Gowa Regent Syahrul Yasin
\nLimpo.<\/p>\n
Nurdin was once interrogated over his alleged involvement in
\nthe embezzlement of village cooperatives while Syahrul was
\nquestioned earlier this year, over his presence at a narcotics
\nparty at a city hotel at which women were present.<\/p>\n
Palaguna's term of office will end later this month but the
\nsuccession was postponed to later this year without explanation.<\/p>\n
Kasmin Al Fayed, coordinator of the demonstration, insisted
\nthat students were opposing the presence of active or retired
\nmilitary officials in the gubernatorial race in order to maintain
\ncivilian domination over the military in the era of reform.<\/p>\n
He cited it was impossible to develop democracy under military
\nleadership as the experience under former president Soeharto had
\nshown during his 32 years in office.<\/p>\n
Djamaluddin, deputy chairman of the Indonesian
\nMilitary\/National Police faction at the provincial legislature,
\nlashed out at the demonstration, saying that retired military
\nofficials, in their capacity as Indonesian citizens, had the
\nright to enter the gubernatorial race.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-oppose-tni-candidates-for-governor-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}