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.