Gubernatorial election sees further delay

Gubernatorial election sees further delay

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

The North Sumatra gubernatorial election rescheduled for May 26
will likely be delayed again, due to administrative and legal
problems all the candidates are facing in their candidacy, says
the chief legislator.

Provincial legislative council chairman Ahmad Azhari told The
Jakarta Post here on Saturday that the gubernatorial election
commission he is chairing has received an official explanation
from Jakarta, that the Ministry of Home Affairs was still looking
into all candidates and their documents submitted in contending
the election.

"Last week, the central government asked for 14 days to screen
the candidates, but the process will likely be extended for
several more days because of the increasing protests among the
public regarding troubled candidates," he said.

The provincial legislative council, which was slated to hold
the gubernatorial election on May 14, was asked to postpone it
until May 26 to give the central government enough time to review
all candidates.

"Of the utmost importance is that the gubernatorial election
is held before June 15, when the current governor will finish his
first term in office. If the election cannot be held before June
15, the central government is expected to appoint an acting
governor until a new governor is elected.

"We are expecting further instructions from the home minister.
If he asks the legislative council to drop all troubled
candidates, we will do so and ask factions to nominate other
candidates," he said.

The gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates have met
with opposition from numerous sides because they are developing
problems with their candidacy.

Deputy gubernatorial candidate Rudolf Pardede, nominated by
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
cannot produce his elementary and high school diplomas, which
reportedly was lost, while other candidates could not produce
their diplomas from elementary and junior high.

PDI Perjuangan has nominated incumbent governor T. Rizal
Nurdin and his running mate Rudolf to contend the gubernatorial
election, the Golkar Party faction nominated the chief of
provincial prosecutors' office Chairuman Harahap and his running
mate Serta Ginting, while the National Mandate Party (PAN)
faction has nominated Amrun Daulay and his running mate Baskami
Ginting.

Asked about the diploma problem, Pardede admitted that his
elementary and high school diplomas went missing in the past, but
claimed he has an official letter from the local police to
explain that he once had the diplomas, but later lost them.

PDI Perjuangan faction secretary Idham Hasibuan called on the
home minister and his team to work faster in looking into the
candidates' documents and legal problems.

"If we are asked to replace Rudolf, we will do it. What we
want is the government to work faster so that we can have a new
governor and deputy governor in time," he said.