End of a regent

End of a regent

The long and sickening struggle of the people of Kampar
regency, Riau province, ended on Thursday when Minister of Home
Affairs Hari Sabarno finally suspended controversial Regent Jefri
Noer and his deputy.

The decision was announced before Kampar representatives who
had visited the ministry in Jakarta to voice their demands for
the regent's dismissal. They were ecstatic at the news, shaking
hands with each other, with some bursting into tears.

In Kampar, people celebrated the decision in their own way.
The residents, mostly civil servants, teachers, students and
students' parents, could not hide their happiness. Many shed
tears at the minister's decision.

Minister Hari Sabarno also suggested that the Riau governor
appoint a new regent to deal with the regency's day-to-day
administrative affairs. Jefri and his deputy, HA Zakir, are not
permitted to continue in their jobs until the case is settled.

Such has been the result of the regent's arrogance. The story
started after Jefri expelled a school principal from an official
meeting in February because he queried the small budgetary
allocation for education.

The expulsion of the principal from the meeting obviously
triggered anger among teachers, students and civil servants, who
then held street protests demanding that Jefri be dismissed.

The regency legislative council eventually recommended that
Jefri and his deputy step down. However, the minister of home
affairs failed to respond quickly to the recommendation and
allowed the problem to fester.

The dispute reached a peak on Tuesday when a demonstration by
teachers, students and civil servants turned violent, leaving two
students hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

The central government's sluggishness in taking prompt action
appears to have caused the civil unrest in the regency. The
Kampar case is clearly an expensive lesson that must be learned
by both the regency and province, as well as the central
government.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta