Ciamis regent demands subordinates' loyalty

Ciamis regent demands subordinates' loyalty

Nana Rukmana
The Jakarta Post
Cirebon

West Java Deputy Governor Moch. Husein Jachjasaputra regretted
Ciamis Regent Oman Subarna's move asking all village and
subdistrict heads in the regency to express their loyalty to him
himself, saying it was not in line with the reform movement.

He said he did not know Oman's reasons for the latter's move
but will summon him to seek clarification on it.

"Oman's move is unjustifiable should the loyalty is given to
him himself. And it is not necessary for him to ask subdistrict
and village heads to make official letters on their loyalty to
Oman in his capacity as a regent because the village and
subdistrict heads are assumed by the law to do so," he told The
Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a meeting of regional
administration secretaries here on Thursday.

Husein insisted that both village heads and subdistrict chiefs
were allowed to have separate opinions on any matters in the
administration because the difference of opinion was guaranteed
by the law.

Oman ordered all village heads and subdistrict chiefs in the
regency early this month to make a letter on their loyalty to him
for unclear reasons. And no village heads and subdistrict chiefs
ignored the order despite village heads' powerful position in the
regional autonomy law.

According to the law issued in 1999, villages, locally known
as nagari have their own authority to determine their own
territory and village heads are allowed to make rulings for their
own territory which are not to be intervened by regents.

A similar thing also happened early last month when South
Kalimantan Governor Sjachriel Darham who was impeached by the
provincial legislature in the middle of August, 2002, ordered all
officials and staff in his office to express their loyalty to
him.

Meanwhile, Oman was not available at his residence for
comments on Thursday, but his aides said he was still in Jakarta
for an official trip.

But, the secretary of the Ciamis regional administration,
Irman B. Kusumah looked anxious when he was asked to comment on
the loyalty letters.

He admitted that the regent gave the order to the village
heads and subdistrict chiefs but he did not know whether the
loyalty was sought for Oman in his personal capacity or in his
status as regent.

"It is better for you to make a check with the village heads
and subdistrict chiefs," he said.