'Bribery' in North Maluku election: Government

'Bribery' in North Maluku election: Government

JAKARTA (JP): A government team probing a suspected bribery
case involving the newly elected governor of North Maluku, Abdul
Gafur, has concluded that money politics had tarnished the
election process.

Director General for Regional Autonomy and Public
Administration Sudarsono Hardjosoekarto, who also chaired the
team, said that the findings, however, might not affect the
planned installation of Gafur as governor should President
Megawati Soekarnoputri gave her approval.

Sudarsono said the team had completed its investigation into
the controversy and had presented its recommendations to the
Minister of Home Affairs regarding the steps to be taken should
the central government refuse to install Gafur.

"The team concluded that based on the prevailing regulations
the government could overrule the election result only if it had
strong evidence that Pak Gafur was guilty of buying votes,"
Sudarsono said.

"But it must be underlined that the regulations also stipulate
that allegations of money politics can only affect the election
result if there is more than one councillor has reported vote-
buying to the provincial legislative council," Sudarsono said.

He was referring to Articles 25 and 28 of Government
Regulation No. 151/2001 on election procedures and the
appointment and removal of local officials.

"In Pak Gafur's case, the team was able to confirm that only
one councillor had received a bribe, while another had only been
promised a bribe by him (Gafur)," Sudarsono said.

Gafur, who once served as the state minister for youth affairs
and sports under former president Soeharto, was elected on June 5
as the governor of North Maluku, replacing acting governor Muhyi
Effendie.

However, the provincial legislative council, after receiving
reports that Gafur had given money to two councillors to win
their support, decided to put the election result on hold pending
further investigation. The two councillors involved are Muhamad
Sahafin of the Golkar Party and Muksin Sudara of the United
Development Party (PPP).

Sahafin admitted in his written statement that he had received
Rp 66 million in bribes, while Sudara admitted that "Abdul Gafur
promised me some money should I vote for him as the governor."
The promise, however, had yet to be fulfilled.

The government later set up a team to probe the case,
consisting of officials from the Directorate General of Regional
Autonomy, the Ministry of Home Affairs' Inspectorate, the
Directorate General of Regional Integrity, and members of the
House of Representatives' Commission II on legal and home
affairs. (tso)