North Maluku legislative council annuls Gafur's election

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The North Maluku Provincial Council annulled the election of Abdul Gafur as governor of the province for his alleged employment of money politics to help him win the gubernatorial race.

Rustam Honoras, speaker of the legislative council, said the decision was taken by the legislative council at its plenary session on Sept. 28, 2001, in the absence of the Golkar faction's members.

"With the annulment of Gafur's election, the legislative council will hold a new gubernatorial election before the end of this year," he said after briefing President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the State Palace on Wednesday.

Rustam, along with six other councillors, reported to the President on the legislative council's plan to hold a gubernatorial election by the end of this year.

Gafur, who is a Golkar figure and served as a minister of sport and youth affairs during former president Soeharto's tenure, was elected by the legislative council on July 25, 2001, to replace acting governor Abdul Muhyi Effendie. Gafur's inauguration was canceled because of the money politics controversy.

Rustam said the legislative council had sufficient evidence of the payment of bribes from the two witnesses.

"The two councillors have provided documents to the legislative council which are acceptable as legal evidence. One admitted to having received a large sum of money while the other testified that Gafur's election team promised him some money," Rustam said.

He said that the two witnesses, who are facing possible disqualification from the legislative council, were Muhammad Sahafin of the Golkar Party and Muksin Sudara of the United Development Party (PPP). He said Sahafin has accepted Rp 66 million (US$6,600) while Sudara had still not received the money by the time he admitted the attempted bribery.

Rustam asserted that despite the Golkar faction's absence, the legislative council's decision on the annulment was valid since the number of councillors attending the plenary session met the quorum as required under the council's standing orders.

He conceded that the public submitted their objections to Gafur's election long after the election, but the council's decision was still valid as the bribery and attempted bribery occurred days before the gubernatorial election.

According to Provincial Bylaw No. 151/2000, the public may submit objections to the election of a governor for up to three days after the election.

The team, which was set up by the central government to investigate the case, found indications of money politics and bribery in Gafur's election.

According to provincial regulations, Gafur is now prohibited from participating in next year's gubernatorial election.

It is not clear, however, whether Gafur will face prosecution over the case.