Padang governor installed

PADANG, West Sumatra: The newly elected West Sumatra governor, Gamawan Fauzy, and his deputy Marlis Rahman were officially installed by Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf on Monday.

The pair, the province's first governor and deputy governor to be directly elected were installed during a plenary meeting of the West Sumatra provincial council.

Ma'ruf expressed the hope that the pair would be transparent in implementing their policies, ensure accountability in their budget spending and prioritize poverty eradication efforts.

"But most importantly, they should support the war against corruption and take the necessary steps to ensure its success, including stopping the collection of illegal levies," Ma'ruf said.

Gamawan, the former Solok regent and recipient of the Bung Hatta Anticorruption Award for his clean administration, is scheduled to sign an agreement to fight corruption in his administration with the Corruption Eradication Commission and the State Minister for Administrative Reforms. -- JP