Governor's dismissal breaks regulation, minister says

Yuliansyah and Ainur Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Banjarmasin/Surabaya

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has written to the South Kalimantan provincial legislature, asking it to reconsider its decision to dismiss Governor Sjachriel Darcham and his deputy Husin Kasah.

But the notice has sparked new controversy as it reached the legislature after the provincial administration held a media conference to announce the minister's request.

In his letter dated Oct. 3 Hari said the legislature had violated Government Regulation No. 10/2001 which stipulates that the President has the authority to appoint and dismiss governors.

Mansyah Adnan, speaker of the provincial legislature, accused the provincial administration on Thursday of withholding the ministerial notice and intentionally leaking it.

"Some circles in the provincial administration must have intentionally held the letter so that we received it very late," he claimed.

The letter should have reached him earlier because it concerned a request addressed to the legislature, Mansyur added.

His deputy, Bachrudin Syarkawi, said the council would check with all mayors and regents in South Kalimantan to find out if any of them had received the note earlier.

Bachrudin blamed provincial spokesman Bambang Setiawan for having held a press conference on the contents of the home minister's letter before delivering it to the legislature.

"In fact, the provincial administration had no authority to publicize it," he pointed out, adding it was the second time that the minister's note had been leaked.

On a separate occasion, South Kalimantan's Kabah Youth Generation accused the provincial legislative council in its statement of ignoring the home minister's suggestion, and appealed that the decision be immediately revoked for being erroneous.

Meanwhile, in Surabaya, East Java Governor Imam Utomo is seeking a settlement through a meeting between Surabaya Mayor Bambang Dwi Hartono, who was unseated by the city council, and council chairman Basuki.

In September, the governor set up an independent investigative committee (KPI) comprising six academics to gather data connected with the legislature's decision for a period of three months.

While legal action is underway, "both sides may achieve reconciliation through a mutual apology, leading to the city council's revocation of its decision," Imam said.

Several members of the National Awakening Party faction in the council, who opposed Bambang's nomination from the beginning, suspected there was a deal between Bambang and Basuki.

Other members also questioned the governor's authority to form KPI and doubted the outcome of its investigation, which they said would side with Bambang.

In his response, Governor Imam Utomo said the committee would keep working because it was in line with government regulations already issued to implement Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy.