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