Councillors overlook duties in rush to oust governor
Councillors overlook duties in rush to oust governor
Yuliansyah, The Jakarta Post, Banjarmasin
The South Kalimantan legislative council is so busy in its
campaign to unseat Governor Sjachriel Darcham that it has
neglected its main duties of drafting bylaws and provincial
planning, a councillor said on Monday.
Councillor Mawah Masykur of the United Development (PPP)
faction said that the council's performance had been
disappointing since its current activities were no longer
relevant to its effort to uphold good governance.
"It seems that the councillors are getting a salary without
doing any work for it. It has been more than a month since they
refused to cooperate with the provincial administration to draft
bylaws. It isn't fair because the public is waiting for explicit
guidelines on regional development," Mawah said.
The council is scheduled to discuss the second revision of the
2002 provincial budget, the draft of the 2003 provincial budget
and provincial strategic planning, which has partial control over
running the administration.
"We have formed a special team to discuss provincial strategic
planning, but the whole agenda is dragging on because the council
has not set a fixed date yet for deliberation," he said.
The council issued Decree No. 16/2002, dated Aug. 21, which
dismisses the governor and his deputy on the grounds that they
were allegedly involved in corruptive practices.
The decree has sparked a debate among the councillors.
Councillors from the Golkar faction, the Indonesian Democratic of
Struggle faction, the Justice Awakening Nation Unity faction, the
Star Ummah Unity faction and the Justice Mandate faction support
the decree, while those from the National Military/National
Police and PPP factions are against it.
The two opposing sides are lobbying high-ranking officials in
the province and in Jakarta to agree with their side.
Sjachriel, a senior member of PPP, has vowed to stay on in
office pending President Megawati Soekarnoputri's final decision.
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has repeatedly said the
government recognizes Sjachriel as the legitimate South
Kalimantan governor.
Amid the controversy, the governor is in Saudi Arabia on a
minor haj pilgrimage.
Fikri Chairman, one of the 70 lawyers who accompanied a group
of councillors opposing Sjachriel during a meeting with Hari in
Jakarta recently, said the minister asked the council to review
the decree.
"It is clear that the central government considers the decree
legally flawed. I doubt the decree will be passed," he said.
Sjachriel was in Jakarta over the weekend to discuss with Hari
preparations for the inauguration of the Hulu Sungai Utara regent
and his deputy on Wednesday. The governor is scheduled to swear
in the regent and his deputy on behalf of the President.