Mayor's suspension raises questions

Mayor's suspension raises questions

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

North Sumatra Governor Tengku Rizal Nurdin questioned on Friday
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno's decision to suspend
Pematang Siantar Mayor Marim Purba, despite his acquittal from
graft charges.

"I'm not saying the ministerial decree is fictitious because I
have not yet received it. I will meet Pak Hari to verify the
decree," Rizal told The Jakarta Post before he left for Jakarta
for that purpose.

The governor denied he had recommended the suspension of
Marim, but confirmed he had reported that the mayor was charged
with corruption, involving Rp 700 million (US$82,352) last year.

However, the Pematang Siantar District Court acquitted Marim
of all charges. Prosecutors had sought four years in prison for
him in the case of the markup of the Horas market project.

"We presented the report to the home affairs minister before
Marim Purba was declared free by the court," Rizal said.

He said during the meeting with Hari, he would tell him that
the mayor had been acquitted of the graft charges, so that the
minister could reconsider the suspension.

Under the prevailing law, a regent or mayor can be suspended
from office following the recommendation of a governor.

Rizal admitted that he was yet to receive a copy of the
ministerial decree suspending the mayor. Marim, who was in
Jakarta on Friday, had not received the letter either.

Despite the suspension, Marim claims he remains the legitimate
mayor of Pematang Siantar until he receives the decree.

Officials in Rizal's office said the mayor was suspended under
Decree No. 132.22-528/2003 dated Oct. 6. It was signed by Mangala
Sihite, head of the legal study center at the Ministry of Home
Affairs.

The decree also appointed Marin's deputy, Kurnia Rajasyah
Saragih, to take charge of the Pematang Siantar administration,
replacing the mayor.

The suspension was reportedly issued in a response to the
North Sumatra governor's letter No. 130/7329/2003, dated Aug. 20,
and a letter from leaders of the province's legislative council
on May 21.

Marin, a senior politician from Golkar, recently failed to win
the election of the party's leader for Pematang Siantar, a
stronghold of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) in North Sumatra.

PDI Perjuangan led by President Megawati Soekarnoputri is the
largest faction in the city's legislative council which is
chaired by a local party leader.