Everyone should enjoy equal opportunities: Jambi governor

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Against the backdrop of local autonomy, Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin warned all sides against questioning the ethnic backgrounds of potential leaders or their places of origin, saying that every person living in Jambi had the same right to lead the province, provided they were qualified.

"As long as a person is living in the province, he or she is a resident of Jambi, and he or she has an equal right and opportunity to be appointed to vacant positions in the provincial administration," he said during a meeting with local informal leaders in Muaro Bungo, 310 kilometers west of Jambi, the capital of the province, on Monday.

Nurdin argued that since the implementation of autonomy, there had been a strong trend in a number of regions to prevent people who came from other regions or ethnic groups from occupying strategic and senior positions, with indigenous people being favored instead.

"In the bureaucracy, ethnic sentiments must be eradicated as they will only hamper the development program in the regions," he said.

Regardless of their ethnic background or place of origin, all people concerned with the province's progress had to be given the opportunity to occupy strategic positions, and even become the province's chief executive, said Nurdin.

"Conversely, those who are not qualified and are not concerned about the province will find no room in the bureaucracy or administration, even if they come from the province. We need qualified and dedicated human resources to develop the province," he said.

The governor also called on all people to be united regardless of race and religion to counter the religious and cultural disintegration that threatened the province.

"We must accept that migrants settling in remote areas of the province have played an active role in development here.

"This pluralism has contributed to the healthy economic growth the province enjoyed over the last four decades. We must maintain this conducive climate so that all ethnic groups and religions can grow altogether. The more peaceful and stable the situation in Jambi, the more foreign investors will come to the province," he said.