JP/5/5Kampar

Kampar regent still suspended: Minister

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta

Mnister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno insisted on Tuesday that Kampar Regent Jefri Noer was only temporarily suspended following weeks of massive protests against him in February.

"In dealing with the case, the government is firm and its decision made on March 25 is clear that Jefri has been suspended in line with the demand by Kampar residents," the minister told a hearing with House of Representatives Commission II for law and home affairs in Jakarta.

He said Riau Governor Rusli Zainal would remain in charge of running the Kampar regental administration.

Hari said he supports the governor's decision to appoint the secretary of the regental administration to carry out daily administrative affairs in the regency.

Hari however hinted that the decision could be revised if the Kampar Regental Legislative Council issued a new recommendation on Jefri's status.

"We are waiting for the Kampar legislature's response to increasing demands for the lifting of Jefri's suspension," he said.

The minister suspended Jefri and his deputy when the local legislature recommended the two's dismissal after the regency was rocked by massive rallies in February in protest over Jefri's actions which they saw as an insult to the teaching profession.

The protests were triggered when the regent ordered a school principal to leave a meeting after he dared to questioned the low education budget for the regency.

Meanwhile, Husni Thamrin, a sociologist of the Islamic State University in the Riau capital of Pekanbaru, called the government's stance ambivalent, saying this has made the locals confused.

"It is not clear whether Jefri and his deputy are suspended or have been dismissed permanently. If both are suspended, it must be clear for how long or if they are dismissed, the local legislative council should be asked to elect a new regent," he said.