Pressure mounts on central govt to dismiss Kampar regent

Haidir Anwar Tanjung The Jakarta Post Pekanbaru, Riau

A local government official said on Tuesday that tens of thousands of people would take to the streets of Kampar regency on Wednesday to protest the central government's sluggishness in handling the controversy surrounding the Kampar regent.

Idris, the head of the infrastructure section at the Kampar administration's education office, said the mass protest was agreed to during a meeting of representatives from Kampar society on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by representatives of teachers, students, civil servants and other elements of Kampar society.

"People are disappointed with the central government, which is seen as sluggish in processing a proposal by Kampar councillors to dismiss Regent Jefri Noer from his post," he said.

The regency legislature unanimously agreed to dismiss the regent and his deputy last month, to put an end to protests by teachers and students that had paralyzed public services and education in the regency, located some 60 kilometers west of Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province.

Students and teachers took to the streets for two weeks after the regent threw a principal out of a meeting, an act they said was an insult to the teaching profession.

The principal, Abdul Latief, was thrown out of the meeting after questioning the amount of money that had been allocated for education in the regency's 2004 budget.

According to the 1999 law on regional autonomy, the decision by the Kampar legislature to dismiss the Kampar regent cannot be executed unless it is endorsed by the central government.

It has been three weeks since the legislature voted to dismiss the regent, but the central government has still not decided whether to endorse the decision.

The final say lies in the hands of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Idris said that by taking to the streets on Wednesday, the teachers, students and other elements of society would show the central government that the loss of confidence in the Kampar regent had spread throughout the community.

"The protest will show the true wishes of Kampar society," he said.

He added that he had obtained a permit from the police, so the planned march would be lawful.

The speaker of the Kampar regency council, Syaifuddin, said he had been informed of the planned march.

He said he supported the rally because the majority of people in Kampar had lost faith in the leadership of the regent.

"We regret the slow handling of his case by the central government," he said.

Hari Sabarno, the minister of home affairs, previously hinted that a decision on the Kampar regent would take time because a team from the ministry was investigating the matter.

The outcome of the investigation will be presented to President Megawati, who will give a final decision on the case.