Election of C. Kalimantan governor valid: Surjadi
Election of C. Kalimantan governor valid: Surjadi
JAKARTA (JP): Home Affairs Minister Surjadi Soedirja asserted
on Friday that the recent election of Asmawi Gani as Central
Kalimantan governor was valid according to the ruling issued by
the provincial legislative council.
"No ruling was breached during the election," he said after a
Friday prayer here.
Surjadi was responding to protests over the gubernatorial
election and the occupation of the Central Kalimantan provincial
legislative council building by students.
An alliance of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), party
activists and student groups called on the government on Thursday
to annul Asmawi's election because it was against the ministerial
decree on governor elections issued on Jan. 19, 2000, which takes
effect nationwide.
Singkang W. Kusuma, spokesman for the NGO alliance, charged
that all gubernatorial candidates, mostly members of the
provincial legislative council, did not resign from the council
when they were running for election. To make things worse, most
of them failed to gain votes in the election held on Jan. 20.
The ministerial decree requires that all candidates resign
from their jobs in the bureaucracy, legislative council, or other
state institutions before the election.
"The election process is against the ministerial decree," said
Singkang.
During the election held at the provincial legislative
council, Golkar Party candidates Asmawi and Nahason Taway won the
most votes for the governor and deputy governor posts
respectively.
Surjadi said Friday that the governor election in Central
Kalimantan was an exception to the decree because it was issued
while the election was under way.
"The governor election is held based on the old ruling
approved by the provincial legislative council," he said.
But he failed to answer whether the decree specifically
stipulated the exemption granted to Central Kalimantan.
Asked about the allegation of money politics during the
election, Surjadi said he had sent a team to investigate the
allegation.
"The team is still working to investigate the alleged money
politics. The allegation may have been aired by certain groups
who wish to have the election results annulled. However, if the
allegation is found true, the government will certainly revoke
the election outcome and call for a repeat election," he said.
Asmawi's scheduled swearing-in ceremony on Friday was delayed
because President Abdurrahman Wahid has yet to issue a decree to
officiate the elected governor. Surjadi said the presidential
decree would be announced after all problems linked to the
election were solved.
Hundreds of protesters continued their sit-in at the
provincial legislature in Palangkaraya for the fourth consecutive
day on Friday. A number of posters criticizing the legislators
and the elected governor and deputy governor were seen on the
building exterior, Antara reported. (rms)