Kampar legislators urged to be calm over regent's impeachment

Haidir Anwar Tandjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

Riau Governor Saleh Djasit called on the Kampar legislative council to stay calm in seeking a solution to a dispute with Kampar Regent Jefri Noer and his deputy A. Zakir that led to their impeachment recently.

"I'm asking all sides to remain cool-headed and comply with the rules of the game in order to prevent the problem from having negative consequences for the local people in the regency," he said prior to a meeting with 30 legislators supporting Jefri Noer's impeachment here on Saturday.

The legislators from five factions supporting Jefri's impeachment met the government to win its support for the move.

Thirty out of a total of 45 members of the Riau legislature cast their votes in favor of the impeachment of Jefri and of Zakir based upon a proposal from a majority of people in the regency on Oct. 12, 2002.

Jefri has been opposed for his controversial policies and statements on numerous problems, all of which had caused confusion among the local people.

The impeachment gained political support from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Indonesian Military/National Police, Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP) and National Awakening Party (PKB). The proposal was opposed by the National Mandate Party (PAN), who had nominated the pair during the regency election.

Syaifuddin Effendy, speaker of the legislature, said that the legislature would go ahead with its plan to elect a new regent and deputy regent in the near future.

Saleh hinted that the legislative council should wait until next month to let the regent unveil his progress report. He said the legislature was allowed to reject the regent's progress report providing an opportunity for legislators to propose a no- confidence motion against the pair to the home affairs ministry.

He warned that a new problem would rise if the legislature went ahead with its plan to hold a new regency election as this went against the 1999 regional autonomy rules.

"While waiting a decision on an impeachment decree from the home affairs minister, it would be better for the legislature to remain cool-headed and seek an amicable solution to the problem," he said.

He added that he would immediately set up a team to investigate the case and its results would be forwarded as input for the minister to help solve the problem.

Jefri's impeachment followed the impeachment of two Surabaya mayors, Sunarto and Bambang D.H., and of the South Kalimantan Governor, Sjachriel Darham.