JP/2/kaur

JP/2/kaur

Failed candidates detained over Bengkulu riot

Eva C. Komandjaja
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Police say they detained on Thursday four people accused of
inciting a riot in Kaur regency, Bengkulu province, involving
thousands of people protesting the result of the recent regental
election.

The Bengkulu Police were interrogating the four suspects for
their alleged involvement in the politically motivated unrest on
Monday, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said in
Jakarta.

The four suspects were identified as Yusirwan Wanie, Sahlan
Sirad, Mukarto and Yusnadi.

Yusirwan is a deputy head of the Bengkulu tourism agency, who
ran for Kaur regent on June 27, with Sahlan as his running mate.
The pair lost to rival ticket Syaukani Saleh-Warman Suwardi.

Soenarko could not elaborate on the roles of the remaining two
suspects -- Mukarto and Yusnadi -- in the incident.

"The Bengkulu Police arrested four people today (Thursday) on
the charge of inciting the riot based on a videotape of the
incident and eyewitnesses' statements. The Bengkulu Police
questioned the suspects before deciding to detain them," he said.

Thousands of people attacked and set fire to the house of the
Kaur legislatures' council speaker, the regent's office, the
local office of the General Elections Commission (KPUD) and the
office of the Kaur public housing agency.

One of the protesters said they had intended to meet
councillors and KPUD members to discuss the election results.
However, the demonstration turned violent when the officials
refused to come out and meet them.

Soenarko said it was possible that the police would name more
suspects soon as they had not finished questioning witnesses.

Bengkulu Police chief Brig. Gen. Adang Syamsu Ratman said
other candidates would likely be summoned for questioning over
the demonstration.

"It is possible that the police will question other candidates
if the four suspects mention other names during their
interrogation," Adang said.

The newly elected Kaur regent and deputy regent Syaukani and
Warman are being investigated by the police for allegedly buying
votes during the campaign period.

In spite of the ongoing probe into the vote-buying case, the
KPUD and the local legislative council approved the election
results and declared Syaukani and Warman the winners of the
regental election.

Adang said the police had completed their investigation into
the alleged vote buying and were prepared to submit the case
files to prosecutors.

However, the inauguration ceremony for the new regent and his
deputy has been postponed until the security situation returns to
normal in Kaur.

Meanwhile, police in South Halmahera regency, North Maluku,
have arrested 16 people allegedly involved in a separate violent
demonstration on Sunday against the results of the regental
election, Soenarko said.

The suspects were identified as Ramli Adam, Adi Adam, Alan
Sumadayo, Moh. Idrus, Mansur bin Hamid, Ikram Musa, Abdul Hamid
Khamid, Kholid Ahmad, Akmal, Ikram, Badrun Tholib, Hasanuddin
Amanah, Moh. Guntur, Moh. Dardani, Fandi Mohammad Saleh and Kasim
Lessy.

Separately, Vice President Jusuf Kalla expressed concern on
Thursday over violence and protests staged in regions against the
results of the recent local direct elections.

He urged all relevant institutions, particularly KPUDs, to
perform their duties to the best of their abilities to avoid
electoral violations, which certain people could use to their
advantage.