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.