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.