70 lawyers back governor's firing

70 lawyers back governor's firing

BANJARMASIN, Central Kalimantan: At least 70 lawyers from
Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan are planning to submit a petition
supporting South Kalimantan councilors' decision to fire Governor
Sjachriel Darham to President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Tuesday.

The lawyers' coordinator Puar Junaidi said on Monday that some
70 lawyers would back up Decree No. 16/2002 issued by the South
Kalimantan Legislature on Aug. 21 to discharge the governor and
his deputy on the grounds that they were involved in some
corruption cases.

"We will accompany the councilors during a meeting with the
president in a bid to support the decision of ousting the
governor and his deputy. We want to convince the central
government not review the decree," he told The Jakarta Post on
Monday without citing any reason.

Activists grouped under the South Kalimantan Team of Anti
Intimidation and Anxiety (Tindak) also planned to visit local
legislature to give their support to the decree. --JP