Governor's dismissal breaks regulation, minister says

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.