East Kalimantan offices empty

East Kalimantan offices empty

Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Samarinda

Local residents have been deprived of public services in
Samarinda recently, as high-ranking officials with the East
Kalimantan provincial administration have been away for several
days, while new councillors postponed their first sessions.

Most local government officials went to Palembang, South
Sumatra to attend the 16th National Sports Week and are scheduled
to return home next week.

Officers at both the executive and legislative bodies were
absent on Friday and as a result, members of the public seeking
assistance for various matters were turned away and told to come
back on Monday.

The offices of the East Kalimantan governor and his deputy,
provincial secretary and their assistants, located on Jl. Gajah
Mada, Samarinda, were seen empty.

East Kalimantan administration spokesman Ibnul Yatim confirmed
that many senior officials were out of town.

"They are arriving later today (Friday). Public services will
return to normal starting Monday," he added.

Ibnul admitted that he did not anticipate that public services
would be hampered by the absence of the local officials.

A lull was also experienced at the East Kalimantan Legislative
Council building, where almost all offices were seen empty.

The newly installed provincial council should have started
their first session on Thursday but postponed it until Sept. 8.

A staffer at the council's Commission C, Effendi, said that
the legislature was not formally in recess, but sessions would
begin by mid next week.

He explained that the upcoming sessions would only be used for
an orientation program for the new councillors elected in the
April 5 legislative polls.

According to Effendi, many of the new councillors have been
away visiting their constituents in regions and would only be
back next week.

He said that the newly elected councillors would not know
their duties until the council elects its leaders and establishes
commissions.

"This (lull) may last until early October because new
commissions will be formed then. Rather than not doing anything,
they (new councillors) have opted to return to their home towns,"
said Effendi.