Gubernatorial elections spark protests

JAKARTA (JP): Protests and some violence have erupted in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara recently over the results of the two provinces' gubernatorial elections and over the government's insistence in upholding them.

Numerous groups in Bali have aired their opposition to the government's decision to approve the recent election of Dewa Made Beratha as the province's new governor for the 1998/2003 period.

Beratha replaced outgoing governor Ida Bagus Oka yesterday when he was sworn in by Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid during a plenary session of the Bali provincial legislative council in Denpasar.

Syarwan welcomed the protests over the election, saying they were an exercise in democracy.

He argued, however, that Beratha was the Balinese people's choice.

"The fact that certain groups have expressed their opposition to the new governor is normal in a democratic country."

He said that differences in opinion were part of the efforts at improving national unity.

The minister called on the new governor to continue developing the island's tourist industry and agricultural sector to improve the local people's welfare.

The provincial administration had reportedly planned to deploy 1,000 civil servants to help secure the swearing-in ceremony following threats by anti-Beratha groups to disrupt the inauguration.

Only dozens of security personnel, however, were seen at the provincial legislative council compound maintaining order during the swearing-in ceremony yesterday.

Meanwhile, thousands of students, youths and religious leaders in West Nusa Tenggara have staged a series demonstrations over the last two weeks against the election of Harun Alrasid, currently Jakarta deputy governor, to replace outgoing governor Warsito.

The demonstrators, who demand a new gubernatorial election, have pelted stones at the provincial legislative council building in the provincial capital of Mataram on Lombok island, causing serious damage to the glass wall and windows.

They say Harun is not popular among the local population and accuse him of buying votes in the election.

Col. Dadang Sutrisno, the province's police chief, expressed regret over the damage the protests have caused to the legislative council building.

"I appeal to the people to stop. Remember how we raised the money with difficulty to construct this building," he said yesterday in a dialog with demonstrators. (rms)