Government to look into regent election in Riau islands

Government to look into regent election in Riau islands

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy
Surjadi Soedirdja said on Friday he would set up a team to
investigate the disputed election of Uzrin Hood as Riau islands
regent.

"The government will not make any decision until the team
completes its investigation into the controversial election,"
Surjadi said after meeting a delegation of religious leaders,
councillors and informal leaders from Riau islands at his office.

The victory of Uzrin and his running mate Amsar Achmad sparked
protests because 15 of 45 local legislative council members had
already lost their right to vote when they cast their ballots on
Oct. 23.

The 15 councillors have returned to their constituencies on
Natuna and Karimun islands, which recently have been granted
regency status.

Ghalib Hussein, spokesman for the delegation, told Surjadi
they were not against the new regent and his deputy but
considered the election to be unlawful for breaching the law on
regional autonomy and the radiogram sent by the home affairs and
regional autonomy minister.

"We want a fair election and if the two are elected we will
accept," he said.

The home affairs and regional autonomy minister had previously
sent a radiogram asking the council to delay the election until
15 new councillors were elected.

"But, the regency legislative council ignored the minister's
radiogram and held the regency election for unclear reasons,"
Ghalib said.

Riau governor Saleh Djasid, who also met with the minister,
said he had made the decision to annul the regency election
because it was against the law.

"The Riau islands regency legislative council is incomplete
because it still has 15 vacant seats, mostly belonging to Golkar
Party," he said. (rms)