Warsito tipped for C. Kalimantan governor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Executive Board of Golkar yesterday
\ngave its wholehearted endorsement of the government's candidate
\nin the upcoming election for Central Kalimantan governor.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman Waskito Reksosudirdjo said the board backs the
\ncandidacy of Warsito Rasman, who is also the current acting
\ngovernor, because he enjoys strong support in the provincial
\nlegislative council which will vote later this month.<\/p>\n
\"Warsito has been asked by the local people to lead them,\"
\nWaskito said after meeting with regional leaders of Golkar.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. insisted yesterday
\nthat Warsito's candidacy was legal with strong support from the
\nCentral Kalimantan provincial legislative council.<\/p>\n
Warsito, the director general of public administration and
\nregional autonomy of the ministry, was appointed acting governor
\nin January after an earlier election was annulled amid
\ncontroversy. The local chapter of Golkar has insisted that the
\npost go to a locally-born figure.<\/p>\n
The controversy over the candidacy of Warsito, who hails from
\nJava, burst into the open last week after Yogie said in a hearing
\nwith the House of Representatives in Jakarta that he personally
\nbacked Warsito.<\/p>\n
Yogie's statement drew waves of protest from both House
\nmembers and Central Kalimantan political activists who want to
\nhave a governor elected from among indigenous figures.<\/p>\n
Critics recalled that Yogie had assured when swearing in
\nWarsito in January that the acting governor would not run in the
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Warsito is one of the five candidates selected by the local
\nlegislature. The others are Asmawi A. Gani, Abdullah Zainie,
\nDonis Singaraca and Elizer Gerson, all being local bureaucrats.<\/p>\n
Asmawi, currently the regent of Barito, receives the strongest
\nsupport from the people of Central Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Among those opposing Warsito's candidacy are local members of
\nDewan Harian Angkatan 45, an influential organization of retired
\nmilitary officers.<\/p>\n
Waskito criticized the veterans' organization for claiming
\nthat it represented the people. \"Which people do they represent?\"
\nhe asked rhetorically, adding that only the three political
\norganizations, Golkar, PDI (Indonesian Democratic Party) and PPP
\n(United Development Party) can claim to represent the people.<\/p>\n
On a separate occasion, Yogie said there was \"no problem\" with
\nWarsito's candidacy because it was decided by the legislature.<\/p>\n
\"Who says there is a problem? You must be fabricating the
\nissue,\" he replied to journalists who besieged him after he
\nopened a meeting with governors.<\/p>\n
A similar comment was aired by Soedradjat Nataatmadja, the
\nministry's secretary general that Yogie assigned to monitor the
\nselection of the Central Kalimantan gubernatorial candidates.<\/p>\n
\"The local legislature wishes to have his name on the
\ncandidacy list. So what's the problem?\" he said as quoted by
\nAntara.<\/p>\n
Soedradjat criticized the Central Kalimantan chapter of Dewan
\nHarian Angkatan 45. He said the organization had unduly played
\npractical politics in the gubernatorial election. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/warsito-tipped-for-c-kalimantan-governor-1447893297",
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