North Maluku confused over presence of 3 governors

North Maluku confused over presence of 3 governors

Yongker Rumthe, The Jakarta Post, Manado

The people in North Maluku has been confused over the presence of
three governors and their deputies in the province.

Following the central government's rejection of Thayib Armayin
and Waisale who the North Maluku Legislative Council elected as
new governor and deputy governor on March 7, 2002, Minister of
Home Affairs Hari Sabarno installed Sinyo Harry Saundayang as
acting governor last Friday in Jakarta to replace Muhyi Efendi.

The central government declined to accept Thayib Armayin and
Waisale because the election was not conducted in accordance with
the law.

Because of the complex problems surrounding the gubernatorial
election, an alliance of mass-based organizations and non-
governmental organizations installed Abdul Gafur and Thayib
Armayin as the new governor and deputy governor.

All three sides claim that their action was in line with the
Autonomy Law and Government Regulation No. 151 on the appointment
of governors, regents and mayors.

Kuntarto, director general for public administration and
regional autonomy at the home ministry, reiterated on Monday that
the appointment of Sarundayang was valid and in line with the law
because of the absence of a permanent governor elected
democratically.

He said both the provincial legislature and the people in the
province should comply with the central government's decision.

"Sarundayang will work as acting governor until a permanent
one is elected according to the prevailing mechanism to replace
him," TVRI quoted him saying.

Ibrahim Basrah, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN)
faction in the provincial legislature, lambasted the central
government whom he said had harassed the legislative council and
crushed the people's aspirations.

"The central government should accept Armayin and Waisale who
were elected democratically by the provincial legislative council
on March 7, 2002," he said.

He said that according to the law, the provincial legislative
council has the full authority to elect the governor and the
President should accept what has been decided by the legislature.

Basrah also lambasted the inauguration of Gafur and Thayib by
their supporters because such an action did not have a legal
basis.

"We will have more and more governors if all organizations and
NGOs in the province swear in their own governor," he said.

Hendra Karianga, chairman of the Protection of Human Rights
NGO, said the inauguration of Gafur as governor could not be
accepted because besides the fact such an action was against the
law, Gafur was still under investigation for his alleged
involvement in money politics.

"It is better for the home minister to hold a dialog with the
provincial legislature to seek clarification of the problem and
the law in attempt to seek a peaceful solution," he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of security personnel were deployed to
step up security around Sarundayang's residence in Maluku due to
the presence of hundreds of Gafur's supporters who wanted to hand
over their petition to the acting governor.

There were no reported casualties in the clash between
security personnel and Gafur's supporters.

Djafar Sah, the sultan of Tidore in the province, expressed
full support for Gafur's installation as governor by his
supporters.

"The people (Gafur's supporters) have acted because they were
upset by the friction between the central government and the
provincial legislature over the gubernatorial election," he said.