Euphoria in Kampar as regent axed

Euphoria in Kampar as regent axed

Haidir Anwar Tanjung and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru/Jakarta

Joyful celebrations erupted in Kampar regency, Riau province, on
Thursday, shortly after Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno
finally bowed to the people's adamant demand to dismiss the
district chief and his deputy.

The decision to suspend Kampar Regent Jefri Noer and his
deputy A. Zakir followed weeks of protests that shut most of the
region down, and culminated in the shooting of two students by
police on Tuesday.

Under the suspension decree, the home minister appointed Riau
Governor Rusli Zainal to temporarily take over the Kampar
administration.

Speaking in Jakarta, Hari said the suspension was aimed at
preventing further problems ahead of the April 5 legislative
election.

"I signed the decree after learning that such an uncertainty
(mass protests) could increase ahead of the election should we
fail to settle the case immediately," he said.

The decree was issued as hundreds of people from Kampar
gathered at Hari's office in Central Jakarta on Thursday morning.

The minister had earlier said he would settle the Kampar case
after the April 5 election.

The suspension decree also obliges the Riau governor to
appoint a caretaker to take charge of the Kampar district.

The news of Jefri's suspension reached Kampar at around 11:30
a.m. Literally seconds later, at least one sport utility vehicle
equipped with a microphone was seen parading around the Kampar
capital of Bangkinang, some 60 kilometers from Pekanbaru
announcing the news.

Within minutes, thousands of people on motorcycles, in
pedicabs, trucks and other vehicles began parading around town
jubilantly and noisily.

The parade of vehicles was greeted enthusiastically by
thousands of people lining the streets and waving at everyone who
drove by. Traffic on the main highway that goes through the town
from Pekanbaru to Padang, West Sumatra, came to a halt for about
one hour.

The paraders later gathered at the Mahligai Bungsu Building,
the spot where Tuesday's shooting took place, and everyone began
shaking hands and hugging each other to express their rapturous
joy.

Bangkinang had for the past two days been deserted of
teachers, students and most civil servants, who had gone on
strike to press for the ouster of Jefri.

"Thank God, the central government has finally sided with the
people. We hope there will never again be a leader in Kampar like
Jefri Noer. Therefore, the Kampar legislative council should be
careful in electing a new regent," said local resident Abdul
Kadir, 50.

The council had voted earlier to dismiss Jefri from his post
following days of huge protests against him. But the decision
could not become official until after the home minister approved
it.

Similarly, local junior high school teacher Imanuddin, 45,
also could not hide his pleasure upon hearing the news of Jefri's
suspension.

"We are glad about the dismissal of Jefri Noer. It shows that
our struggle was not in vain," he said.

Imanuddin said he and his fellow teachers would return to
school on Friday.

Jefri had been under fire since February when he reportedly
expelled a teacher from a meeting after the victim questioned the
regent about the district's low budget for education.

The order was seen as an insult to the teaching profession and
was followed by the series of demonstrations.

The dismissed regent was also accused of corruption and using
a fake diploma to be eligible for the regency's election two
years ago.

Jefri was not the first district head in the country to see
himself toppled under a major decentralization program that begun
in 2001.