Government calls for new election in North Maluku

Government calls for new election in North Maluku

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The uncertainty surrounding the North Maluku governorship is
continuing as the central government wants another gubernatorial
election to be held by the legislative council (DPRD) after
branding the previous one as unlawful.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno on Wednesday rebuffed
speculation that the central government was not taking timely
action to solve the leadership void in the province, saying that
the governorship was entirely the responsibility of the
provincial legislative council.

"If there's no decision by the council, what mechanism are we
(the home affairs ministry) supposed to use? The Ministry of Home
Affairs will only legitimize a process that has been gone through
in accordance with the prevailing laws," Hari told reporters at
the State Palace after accompanying President Megawati
Soekarnoputri to officially open a conference marking Veterans'
Day.

He stressed that the election of Abdul Gafur as governor last
year was later annulled by the local council itself over Gafur's
alleged involvement in money politics when campaigning for the
governorship.

Gafur, whose election was annulled by the council last
November, is still under investigation concerning the
allegations.

On April 7, 2002, the North Maluku legislative council elected
Thayib Armayin and Waisale as governor and deputy governor
respectively during a second gubernatorial election, but the
central government refused to ratify their appointments as the
required quorum had not been reached during the election.

In the latest development, Hari installed Sinyo Harry
Sarundayang as acting governor under Presidential Decree No. 54/M
2002 on March 23 to replace Muhyi Effendi, who was appointed as
the first acting governor to lead the new province, which was
formed in 2000.

Sarundayang is tasked with preparing a gubernatorial election
for the 2002 - 2007 term in accordance with the prevailing
mechanisms.

Commenting on the establishment of a coalition of
"community" and non-governmental organizations styling itself the
"People's Forum", which declared Abdul Gafur and Thayib Armayin
to be the governor and deputy governor respectively, Hari said
the central government would not acknowledge any such move as it
ignored the formal election procedures.

"We cannot accept such a move. The government will only
recognize the decision of the local legislative council as the
people's aspirations are represented by the council," Hari said,
adding that the declaration did not represent the will of the
North Maluku people.

After Sarundayang's controversial appointment, hundreds of
security personnel were deployed at his official residence to
counter protests by Gafur's supporters.

There were no reports of casualties as a result of the
protests.