71 regional heads' tenure extended

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has extended the terms of 67 regents and four mayors in a bid to maintain political stability ahead of the July 5 presidential election.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Tuesday the regents and mayors would remain in office until at least October, when amendments to the regional autonomy law should be completed, paving the way for elections.

"The regional heads' term of office will end between April and June, but the President (Megawati Soekarnoputri) has already issued a presidential decree extending their terms and simultaneously delaying the election of new heads until October 2004.

"This decision was made to maintain political stability during the upcoming presidential election," he said during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission II for legal and home affairs.

Hari did not identify the regents and mayors. He added that the upcoming gubernatorial election in Lampung would take place as scheduled.

"The President has approved the gubernatorial election in order to restore security and order in the province," he said.

The government ordered a rerun of the Lampung gubernatorial election despite a ruling by the Jakarta State Administrative Court that the central government's decision to block the inauguration of Alzier Dianis Thabranie, who was elected in December 2002, was illegitimate.

Alzier's inauguration was blocked after he was convicted of graft and using a fake university diploma.

During the hearing at the House, lawmakers asked the minister to take all necessary steps to ensure the bureaucracy's neutrality during the country's first ever direct presidential election.

"The home minister should follow government regulations, which require a commitment to a clean and secure presidential election," the chairman of the commission, Teras Narang, said at the conclusion to the hearing.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri will contest the election and several of her ministers have joined the Mega camp to help her win a five-year mandate.

Legislators from the Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) have expressed concern that Megawati could mobilize the bureaucracy to help her campaign for the presidency.