Ex-thief elected village chief

PONOROGO, East Java: Residents of Tambang village in the Sooko district of Ponorogo regency have been angered by the election of a man with a criminal record as their new village chief.

"We don't want an ex-thief for village chief. No matter what, the village chief elect is 'morally deficient'," one resident was quoted by Antara as saying on Sunday. Many other residents shared the sentiment.

Sarnu, another villager, said the new village chief, identified as Tumiran, served a ten-week prison sentence for motorcycle theft ten years ago.

Villagers said they had written to the regent asking him to nullify the election result. "Surely the regent does not want us to be led by an ex-thief," Sarnu said.