Lampung rally demands inauguration of governor-elect

Oyos R.N. Saroso The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Thousands of people from regencies all over Lampung province staged a demonstration in front of the gubernatorial offices in Bandar Lampung, demanding the inauguration of governor-elect Alzier Dianis Thabranie.

At the same time, an investigating team from National Police Headquarters in Jakarta continued its investigation into Alzier, who is being detained as a suspect in a 1993 corruption case.

"The Lampung people have elected the governor in a democratic manner but the central government annulled it. We are here to oppose that annulment," a demonstrator said.

The demonstrators also occupied the ferry port in Bakauheni for several hours before riot police forcibly dispersed them.

No casualties were reported but the occupation of the port caused a massive 20-kilometer tailback on its access road.

The protesters also condemned the corruption charges as being irrelevant as the case happened back in 1993. They said the delay was evidence that the police were not professional.

Hundreds of police personnel were deployed to enhance security around the gubernatorial offices and the provincial legislative council, where the protesters staged their demonstration.

The government has decided to postpone the inauguration of Alzier, who won the gubernatorial election last December, due to his being charged as a suspect in the graft case.

Home affairs minister Hari Sabarno has signaled that Alzier's installation would be postponed until the case was fully resolved.

"It would not be efficient or effective to swear in Alzier at present because another gubernatorial election would have to be held if he is found guilty," the minister said.

He has instead appointed Tursandi Alwi, chief of the research and development division at the home affairs ministry, as acting governor until a new governor is sworn in.

Alzier has being undergoing police questioning since Friday, when he finally showed up at the Bandar Lampung police station after having claimed to have been sick for a number of days.

A spokesman for the Lampung Police, Sr. Comr. Fatmawati, said that Alzier had come for questioning at his own volition following his failure to show up last week.

"Pak Alzier said he was available to undergo questioning, and came here of his own free will," he said.

Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi, who is leading the questioning, declined to brief the press, saying the investigation was still underway.

Alzier's lawyer, Eddy Rifai, said that his client had been allowed to undergo questioning in Lampung on two conditions: that he was cooperative and that no pressure from the public was brought to bear.

Fifteen legislators from the provincial legislative council also assured police that Alzier would be cooperative during questioning.

Last week, more than 50 supporters of Alzier from Tanggamus and South Lampung regencies came to the Lampung Post daily's offices in the city to protest its April 10 edition, which reported that the local police had set up a team to find the suspect and arrest him following his failure to show up for questioning as originally scheduled.

The protesters, who claimed to be ready to die for Alzier, threatened to deploy thousands of people to attack the daily's offices if the newspaper continued reporting damaging news about the governor-elect.