Protesters call for dismissal of regent in North Sumatra

Protesters call for dismissal of regent in North Sumatra

Calling themselves Serdang Bedagai Community Alliance, some 1,000
people protested, demanding that North Sumatra governor replace
Serdang Bedagai Regent Chairullah following an alleged practice
of corruption, collusion and nepotism in the administration.

The protesters also refused the extension of Chairullah's
office term, which ended on Jan. 15.

The alliance coordinator, Syarifuddin, said one year after
the regency was separated from Deli Serdang regency, most of the
administration officials were filled by people close to the
regent.

For instance, he said, the position of the education office
head was given to the regent's brother, the health office head to
his brother in-law and the head of tax and revenue office to his
cousin.

"This practice of corruption, collusion and nepotism should
end. We want the governor to find new replacements," Syarifuddin
said on Tuesday in his speech in front of the protesters at the
North Sumatra governor's office.

Moreover, he said, the regent had already been named a suspect
in alleged graft of the 2003 Deli Serdang regental budget worth
Rp 2.3 billion when he served as Deli Serdang's regental
secretary.

North Sumatra prosecutor office spokesperson J. Ketaren
confirmed on Tuesday that Chairullah was a suspect, adding that
the regent had been questioned twice.

Responding to the demand, head of the North Sumatra provincial
public relations office, Eddy Sofyan, who met with the
protesters' representatives, said he would convey the demands to
Governor T. Rizal Nurdin, who was attending a plenary meeting at
North Sumatra provincial council when the protest took place.
(JP/Apriadi Gunawan)