Awang inauguration protested

KUTAI KARTANEGARA, East Kalimantan: The Kutai Kartanegara Regental Council has demanded that the central government revoke its decision installing Awang Dharma Bakti as caretaker regent in Kutai Kartanegara.

Kutai Kartanegara Regental Council Speaker Bachtiar Effendi said that this was essential to ending a prolonged governance crisis in the regency.

Awang Dharma Bakti was installed as Kutai Kartanegara regent on Dec. 13 last year, but his inauguration drew strong protests from thousands of Kutai Kartanegara people and local councillors. The members of the public and the councillors are demanding that Syaukani, the deposed regent, be restored to office until the election of a new Regent in June. Syaukani was replaced because his term had come to an end. -- JP