Council threatens to expel Al Rasyid

Council threatens to expel Al Rasyid

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak
and Muhammad Nafik
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Provincial Legislative Council
threatened on Wednesday to replace Governor Harun Al Rasyid if he
confirms his candidacy for the Jakarta governorship.

"This is an insult, because he intends to leave before
completing his tenure," the chairman of the council's Commission
A for legal and administrative affairs, H.M. Jamani, told Antara
on Wednesday after attending the council's plenary meeting.

"We have many officials who are willing and able to govern the
province, so why do we have to keep relying on someone who
doesn't heed his hometown anymore," he added.

Jamani was commenting on reports that Al Rasyid would run in
the Jakarta gubernatorial election for the 2002 to 2007 term.

Al Rasyid has another two years left in his present five-year
term of office.

Al Rasyid, who has remained tightlipped on the reports of his
possible candidacy for Jakarta governor, gave a rare response on
Wednesday.

"If I were entrusted (as Jakarta governor), I would be ready,"
he said.

However, securing prior approval from the West Nusa Tenggara
provincial legislative council, a requirement to run in the
elections, could prove difficult for Al Rasyid to attain as
council members have appeared unhappy with the reports.

Jamani said Al Rasyid had the right to nominate himself in any
gubernatorial election as long as he completed his present
tenure.

"His candidacy would stir public opinion that he has not been
serious in governing the province over the past three years. And
(people may say) that it's the reason the province has made no
significant progress in development," he said.

The Jakarta gubernatorial election, which will be the first
direct election ever, is scheduled for Sept. 17.

The NTB council's plenary meeting suggested on Wednesday the
governor merge five provincial agencies -- fisheries, forestry,
agriculture, husbandry and plantations -- into one office.

The merger, according to the council, would be in line with
attempts to reduce routine budget spending.