Fadel sworn in as governor of Gorontalo

Fadel sworn in as governor of Gorontalo

Elnino, The Jakarta Post, Gorontalo

JAKARTA (JP): Home Affairs Minister Hari Sabarno swore in
businessman Fadel Muhammad and Gusnar Ismail on Monday, making
him the first governor and deputy governor of Gorontalo province,
since it separated from North Sulawesi in Oct. 2000.

The inauguration ceremony took place during a special session
of the Gorontalo provincial legislative council in the city
without disturbance.

Many, including a part of the provincial legislature, had
opposed Fadel's couple and called for another gubernatorial
election, as he is also treasurer of the Golkar Party, and
suspected of involvement in the so-called Bulogate II.

Fadel's inauguration had been postponed for three months after
his couple won 26 out of 45 votes in the gubernatorial election.
So far, the government has not offered reasons for the
cancellation of the inauguration.

The president, who had the last authority to accept or reject
elected governors, has yet also to determine whether Abdul Gafur,
who was also allegedly involved in money politics to win the
gubernatorial election, would be inaugurated as governor of North
Maluku.

Fadel, who is also owner of Bukaka Holding Company, and Gafur,
are both functionaries of the Golkar Party.

"I came here not to investigate the case, but to swear in the
new governor and deputy governor -- I'm sorry, I won't to speak
on cases befalling the new governor," said Hari.

Fadel, who was asked to comment on recent protests of his
victory, said he has apologized to his opponents, and would
cooperate with them to develop the new and poor province.

"Such protests are really as normal and natural in the
democracy era," he said, simply.

Asked about his program, Fadel said that in his five-year term
of office, he would give priority to the education, maritime and
farming sectors to help improve the quality of education and
local people's social welfares.

"We will focus on how to develop the quality of human
resources, the province's maritime potentials
and improve the social welfare of almost 900,000 people," he
said.

He added that he would be facing more difficulties in carrying
out his program, because 75 percent of local people have been
concentrated in the provincial capital, and 72 percent were
living in a poor condition.

He also said he would develop more schools and institutes to
improve the quality of human resources in the province because 87
percent of the local people were graduated only from junior high
schools.

Amir Piola Isa, chairman of the provincial legislature, hoped
that the new governor would treated all sides equally in the
local society.

"He should not give special treatments to a certain ethnic,"
he said.

He said the governor should also pay a serious attention to
the farming and fishery sectors, from which 57 percent of local
people have earned their life.