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.