Abdul Gafur elected North Maluku governor
<p>Abdul Gafur elected North Maluku governor</p><p> 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.</p><p>Their terms of office are to run until 2006.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Thursday's session was led by assembly speaker Rustam Conoras
and was also attended by acting North Maluku governor Brig. Gen.
(ret.) Muhyi Effendie.</p><p>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.</p><p>However, as of Thursday afternoon, all was quiet in the
capital of North Maluku.</p><p>Despite the semblance of calm, local residents chose to stay
at home. A number of government offices were also closed.</p><p>Business in the traditional markets was quiet with few shops
open, while the streets were deserted.</p><p>Communal clashes between Christians and Muslims shook the
province in 1999 as a spill-over from the bloody conflict in
neighboring Maluku province. (emf)</p>
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.</p><p>Their terms of office are to run until 2006.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Thursday's session was led by assembly speaker Rustam Conoras
and was also attended by acting North Maluku governor Brig. Gen.
(ret.) Muhyi Effendie.</p><p>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.</p><p>However, as of Thursday afternoon, all was quiet in the
capital of North Maluku.</p><p>Despite the semblance of calm, local residents chose to stay
at home. A number of government offices were also closed.</p><p>Business in the traditional markets was quiet with few shops
open, while the streets were deserted.</p><p>Communal clashes between Christians and Muslims shook the
province in 1999 as a spill-over from the bloody conflict in
neighboring Maluku province. (emf)</p>