North Maluku students reject Sarundayang

North Maluku students reject Sarundayang

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

An alliance of four North Maluku student associations
in Yogyakarta urged President Megawati Soekarnoputri to annul a
presidential decree on the appointment of Sinyo Harry
Sarundayang, incumbent inspector general at the Ministry of Home
Affairs, as acting governor of the new province, to replace Muhyi
Effendi.

"The presidential decree is an infringement of the
Constitution and ignores the existence of the North Maluku
Legislative Council (DPRD)," said the alliance in a four-page
statement here on Wednesday.

The four were the Central Halmahera Students Association
(PKPM-Halteng), the North Maluku Muslim Association (KAUMMU), the
Yogyakarta Caring Voice for Halmahera and the Discussion Forum of
North Maluku Students (FKMMU).

The students also protested against the President's decision
not to accept the election of Thaib Armayin as permanent governor
and of Yamin Waisale as deputy governor, both from the National
Mandate Party, by the North Maluku legislature on March 7, 2002.
The gubernatorial election was held again after the central
government rejected the victory of Abdul Gafur in the first
gubernatorial election on July 5, 2001.

The result of the first gubernatorial election was annulled
because Gafur and several legislators were allegedly involved in
money politics. The investigation into the scandal is still under
way.

Yet, according to KAUMMU secretary Saleh Tjan, instead of
approving the result of the election, the President issued
Presidential Decree No. 54/M 2002 on March 23 to appoint
Sarundayang as acting governor of North Maluku with a special
assignment of preparing a gubernatorial election for the 2002-
2007 period.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno did not swear in
Sarundayang as acting governor last week following increasing
protests in North Maluku.

Despite the improved situation, North Maluku is still under a
state of civil emergency following the sectarian violence that
rocked the province and Maluku in January, 1999.

The alliance of student associations, therefore, considered
the decree as a violation of Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy
and Government Regulation No. 151/M 2002 on the election of
regional head and vice head.

The students ruled out the central government's reasons for
rejecting the result of the second gubernatorial election, saying
it was held in line with the Autonomy Law.

Saleh Tjan, spokesman for the alliance of the students
associations, said the central government should accept the
election results because the election was held democratically and
was accepted by most factions in the provincial legislative
council.

"Otherwise, we will take legal action against the President at
the State Administrative Court," Saleh said.