Batam threatens to fire 10 officials for party links

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau

The Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) in Riau province threatened on Tuesday to dismiss 10 officials should they refuse to cut their ties with political parties contesting the 2004 elections.

BIDA spokesman Dwi Djoko Wiwoho told The Jakarta Post that the 10 civil servants had been named legislative candidates by a few parties.

The officials in question have been given until Dec. 29 to resign from the parties and cancel their legislative nominations in order to retain their jobs as civil servants, he said.

"If it is ignored, the Batam Industrial Development Authority will officially issue a decision to honorably discharge them," he added.

Under the Election Law, civil servants, including military officers, are eligible to vote in the 2004 elections but are banned from serving as executives and members of political parties.

Wiwoho declined to name the 10 officials, but said they were attached to Hang Nadim Airport, the security directorate and the finance department, as well as other departments.

"We told them to choose whether to concentrate on their duties as civil servants with the Batam Industrial Development Authority or be active in politics," he said.

"If they remain active and stay with their parties, we will have to dismiss them immediately because the move violates prevailing regulations," the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, one of the 10 civil servants, Iskandar Zulkarnaen, who works at Hang Nadim Airport, admitted that he received an instruction from BIDA to quit from Golkar, where he serves as deputy chairman of the Batam branch.

After deep consideration, he decided to quit Golkar.

"I must think of my future. If I continue to be active in politics, it would be like gambling.

"Honestly speaking, to be active in politics without a clear source of income would be dangerous. It could force me into becoming a beggar. It would be better for me to be financially established, and then join a political party," Iskandar told the Post.

However, he admitted that despite resigning from Golkar he would continue giving advice and input to the party.

Golkar used to be the political vehicle of former strongman Soeharto, who remained in power for 32 years until 1998.

During his authoritarian rule, all civil servants, including military and police officers, were obliged to vote for Golkar.