Civil servants pledge loyalty to ousted leader
Civil servants pledge loyalty to ousted leader
Yuliansyah, The Jakarta Post, Banjarmasin
Defying an expulsion vote by the local legislature and a
resignation demand by student and non-governmental organization
activists, South Kalimantan Governor Sjachriel Darham rallied
thousands of civil servants on Thursday to pledge loyalty to his
leadership.
Sjachriel, removed from office by provincial legislators on
Aug. 21 for corruption, personally led some 3,000 civil servants
in a pledge promising unreserved loyalty to the national ideology
Pancasila, the Constitution, the country, and to his
administration during a ceremony organized in front of the South
Kalimantan governor's office.
The civil servants were from the governor's office and several
government departments.
They also promised to be loyal and obedient to existing rules
and regulations, promote the supremacy of the law, and maintain
unity in facing current political conditions.
In his speech, Sjachriel admitted that he had made some
erroneous policies in the past, but promised to improve his work
performance in the future.
Sjachriel, a cadre of the United Development Party (PPP), had
been under fire for alleged widespread corruption practices. He
was technically voted out of office by the legislature on Aug.
21, 2002 after protesters occupied the council building and
threatened to stay if the local councillors did nothing about the
governor's alleged corruption.
Sjachriel, however, vowed to hold on to his office until
President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave her approval of the
council's move.
Minister for Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said earlier that the
government still recognized Sjachriel as the province's governor.
As the civil servants were taking an oath of loyalty, hundreds
of angry protesters entered the governor's compound. Two
squadrons of police personnel kept the protesters 200 meters away
from the governor's group.
The protesters then blocked the front gate of the compound,
and demanded that they meet Sjachriel in person. Fearing for his
safety, Sjachriel escaped through the back door.
Student and non-governmental organizations vowed to continue
their protest.
"The vows will revive civil servants' loyalty and enthusiasm
which had been going down recently," Sjachriel said after the
ceremony, adding that the function was initiated by South
Kalimantan's Civil Servants Association.
He was quick to add that he would report these "loyalty vows"
to the Minister of Home Affairs and the provincial Council,
proving that the civil servants still had confidence in his
leadership.
He also claimed that the Indonesian Provincial Administration
Association (APSI) and the Indonesian Regency Administration
Association (APKASI) were still fully behind his leadership.
Meanwhile, the provincial Legislature Speaker Mansyah Add said
that councillors disregarded the ceremony although they were
invited because they did not want to cooperate with the governor
and his deputy anymore.
Local councillors M. Rusli and Addy Chairuddin regretted
Sjachriel's decision to take advantage of the employees' loyalty
for his own political interest.