Dumai council dismisses speaker in plenary session

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Dumai regency legislative council in the province of Riau dismissed its speaker, Benedi Boiman, amid a veil of secrecy during a plenary session on Friday.

The dismissal follows a no-confidence motion issued by councillors against the speaker for failing to bolster "good relations" between him and other legislators.

"Based on that, we agreed early January to convene a plenary session today (Friday) to remove Benedi Boiman," Ali Rahman, secretary of the Golkar faction at the council, told Antara.

He refused to comment on the no-confidence motion.

Ali said most factions, including the two largest ones, namely the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar, endorsed Benedi's dismissal.

"Four factions have declared that Benedi Boiman be dismissed. Therefore, he is no longer the chairman of the Dumai legislative council," he said.

Only the Indonesian Military/National Police faction abstained from voting, while the United Development Party (PPP) faction walked out of the session, he added.

Ali could not say when the council would elect its speaker after Benedi was forced to relinquish his top post.

Before the council gets its new speaker, the three current deputies will take charge of the legislature, he said.

Friday's plenary session was closed to the public with at least 22 of the 25 council members present.