Abdul Gafur elected North Maluku governor

TERNATE, North Maluku(JP): Former state minister of sports and youth affairs Abdul Gafur and his running mate Yamin Tawari were elected respectively the first ever North Maluku governor and deputy governor during a plenary session of the North Maluku legislative assembly on Thursday, Antara reported.

Their terms of office are to run until 2006.

Representing the Golkar faction, Gafur and Yamin won 23 votes, enough to beat the duo of Thaib Armain and Yamin Walsaleh from the Reform faction by just three votes.

Gafur was a minister during the regime of former president Soeharto and later served as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives from 1997 to 1999.

Thursday's session was led by assembly speaker Rustam Conoras and was also attended by acting North Maluku governor Brig. Gen. (ret.) Muhyi Effendie.

The election debate, which started at around 9:30 a.m. and lasted five hours, took place under tight security following rumors that riots might erupt following the election.

However, as of Thursday afternoon, all was quiet in the capital of North Maluku.

Despite the semblance of calm, local residents chose to stay at home. A number of government offices were also closed.

Business in the traditional markets was quiet with few shops open, while the streets were deserted.

Communal clashes between Christians and Muslims shook the province in 1999 as a spill-over from the bloody conflict in neighboring Maluku province. (emf)