Minister names acting Lampung governor

Minister names acting Lampung governor

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has made one of his aides
the acting governor of Lampung and has suspended swearing in the
elected head of the province's administration as the latter faces
corruption charges, local officials said on Tuesday.

Spokesman for the Lampung government Adehan confirmed the
appointment of Tursandi Alwi, current head of research and
development at Hari's office, to the post.

Tursandi served under the caretaker Gorontalo governor.

"The home minister is in Lampung today (Tuesday) and he will
officially introduce the acting governor to senior officials of
the provincial administration on Wednesday," Adehan was quoted by
Antara news agency as saying.

Tursandi's appointment was also confirmed by Lampung
administration secretary Herman Achmad.

Minister Hari had said he would name an acting governor last
week when the then outgoing governor, Oemarsono, whose five-year
term ended last month, handed over his power to the minister
before Oemarsono's successor was sworn in.

The Lampung legislative council elected M. Alzier Dianis
Thabrani as the new governor and Ansory Yunus as his deputy in
December for the 2003-2008 period.

The pair defeated Oemarsono and his running-mate, who were
supported by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Apparently unhappy with the election outcome, Megawati
postponed the issuance of a presidential decree to approve the
election of Alzier and Ansory.

The lack of endorsement by Megawati delayed the inauguration
of the newly elected governor indefinitely.

The President only issued a decree recommending Oemarsono
leave his post and another decree authorizing Minister Hari to
appoint an acting governor in charge of administrative control in
Lampung.

Also barring Alzier from taking over the gubernatorial post
are the corruption charges against him that the police have
produced.

Alzier was scheduled to be sworn in as the new Lampung
governor on Jan. 25, one day before his predecessor ended his
term of office.

Adehan further said the appointment of Tursandi as the acting
governor would immediately end the controversy surrounding the
top post in the province.

Tursandi will hold the position until Megawati endorses
replacements for Oemarsono and his deputy and the pair are sworn
in, Adehan said.

He confirmed that the home minister had also named an acting
regent for Tenggamus district in Lampung because the regent-elect
and his deputy would not be inaugurated as yet for unclear
reasons.

"We have received information that the acting Tenggamus regent
is Idrus Djaendarmuda, who is currently the head of the Lampung
supervisory board," Adehan said.