Businessman elected West Kalimantan governor
Businessman elected West Kalimantan governor
Bambang Bider, The Jakarta Post, Pontianak
Businessman Usman Djafar and running mate Laurentius Hermanus
Kadir were elected governor and vice governor respectively of
West Kalimantan for the 2003 to 2008 period in a tightly guarded
plenary meeting at the provincial legislature (DPRD) here on
Thursday.
The pair received 32 of 54 votes to defeat competitors Gusti
Syamsumin and Massardy Kaphat, who collected 22 votes in the
second round of elections.
The elected pair will face public scrutiny in the next five
days before they are inaugurated on Jan. 13, 2003.
The legislature has given the public the opportunity to
scrutinize governor candidates from Dec. 13 through 17, including
exposing any involvement they may have had in criminal activity.
Secretary of West Kalimantan provincial legislature Morni
Syahidan said the legislators would convene on Dec. 17 to assess
any reports submitted by the public about the governor-elect and
vice governor-elect.
A day later, on Dec. 18, legislators are scheduled to endorse
the election of Usman and Kardi before submitting their names to
the home affairs ministry.
Syahidan said that the elected candidates could be annulled
should they be proved guilty of buying votes or involvement in
money politics during their elections.
Usman and Kadir were nominated by the United Development Party
(PPP), while Gusti and Kaphat were supported by the Golkar Party.
Four pairs of candidates competed in the first round of
elections on Thursday. Usman and Kadir collected 21 votes, while
Gusti and Kaphat received 19.
Two other pairs, Djawari-Rudy Alamsyahrum, and Henri Usman-
Michael Oendeon collected 6 and 8 votes respectively.
Djawari and Rudy were nominated by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), while Henri-Michael were backed by the Unity in
Diversity Party (PBI).
The plenary meeting, presided over by DPRD chairman Silvanus
Sungkalang, was attended by outgoing Governor Aspar Aswin and
police chief Brig. Gen. Iwan Pandjiwinata.
"Thanks be to God. May I can carry out this mandate for the
benefit of West Kalimantan province," Usman, who is also a
director of the ALatief Corp., was quoted by Antara as saying on
Thursday.
The election was tightly guarded by security forces in
anticipation of possible violence.
Military and police personnel were deployed to some strategic
places, including in the Assembly hall and its surroundings.
Before the election, all 54 councillors were briefed at the
Pontianak Police Headquarters before being transported to the
legislature, some 400 meters away.
Barbed wire was also placed outside the legislature building
to prevent thousands of supporters of candidates from entering
the legislature compound.
Police chief Brig. Gen. Iwan Pandjiwinata praised the people
of West Kalimantan for maintaining security and order during the
elections.
He expressed the hope that stability during gubernatorial
elections might signal the return of security and order in the
province.
"The provincial police thank the public for their orderly
behavior," Iwan said, adding that if they could maintain that
state of affairs, the provincial administration could continue
its development programs throughout the province.