Provincial legislative body dismisses Aceh governor
<p>Provincial legislative body dismisses Aceh governor</p><p> BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Ramli Ridwan, a senior staff member at
the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been named the acting governor
of Aceh in place of Syamsuddin Mahmud, who went out following a
vote of no confidence from the provincial legislature recently.</p><p>A presidential decree dated June 7 approved Syamsuddin's
substitution and the hand-over ceremony of the gubernatorial post
has been set for June 21. The ousted governor will have a new
post in Jakarta as deputy chairman of the National Development
Planning Board (Bappenas).</p><p>Spokesman for the provincial administration Teuku Pribadi said
Tuesday that 29 out of 49 members of the local legislative
council petitioned Syamsuddin's dismissal on April 29 for being
too slow in handling Aceh's problems. The vote of no confidence
was given after the governor's annual report before the
legislators.</p><p>Syamsuddin, a scholar from the local Syah Kuala state
university, took office in 1993 to replace Ibrahim Hasan who was
then named a minister under the government of then president
Soeharto. Syamsuddin won another five-year term in 1998.</p><p>House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung regretted on
Friday the move that toppled Syamsudin.</p><p>"There has been misinterpretation of the law. A governor is
obliged to present his or her annual report, but it should not be
considered an accountability report," Akbar said.</p><p>He said he could understand the dismissal if it had a strong
legal basis and was in line with people's aspirations.</p><p>Chairman of the House's Commission II for domestic and legal
affairs Amin Aryoso supported Akbar's view, saying the ousting of
Syamsuddin would create legal uncertainty of a governor's duties.</p><p>"If this happens, the legislative council could sack a
governor every year," Amin said.</p><p>Syamsuddin took his dismissal easily and said he would enjoy
whatever post was given to him.</p><p>"If they want me to resign, fine. I have no complaint," he
said.</p><p>Students and activists, however, protested Ramli's appointment
as caretaker, labeling him a close confidant of former governor
Ibrahim and part of the New Order.</p><p>Hundreds of students from various universities rallied at the
provincial administrative building on Friday morning.</p><p>"The councilors only think about how much salary they could
earn and never think about the people. They only create cheap
political maneuvers. There are lots of Acehnese who deserve the
gubernatorial post," one of the students, Zukhri M.S. Adnan,
said.</p><p>Violence, meanwhile, also continued to rock the province, as
two people were killed and another man suffered burn injuries in
a mortar blast in Babah Buloh village in North Aceh on Thursday.</p><p>North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Syafei Aksal said Razali, 45,
died on the scene while Husni, 16, died later in the Lhokseumawe
General Hospital. Ramli Abdullah, 36, survived the blast.</p><p>The military also arrested an armed Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
rebel leader and three of his followers in Jeungki village at
Peureulak district, East Aceh.</p><p>"The four men were arrested on Tuesday at a house in
Peureulak," East Aceh Military chief Lt. Col. K. Irawan said on
Friday.</p><p>The GAM field commander is identified as Syahrul Idris, 35,
and his three followers are Badaruddin, 25, Syaiful, 20, and
Zaini, 40. (50/edt/jun)</p>
the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been named the acting governor
of Aceh in place of Syamsuddin Mahmud, who went out following a
vote of no confidence from the provincial legislature recently.</p><p>A presidential decree dated June 7 approved Syamsuddin's
substitution and the hand-over ceremony of the gubernatorial post
has been set for June 21. The ousted governor will have a new
post in Jakarta as deputy chairman of the National Development
Planning Board (Bappenas).</p><p>Spokesman for the provincial administration Teuku Pribadi said
Tuesday that 29 out of 49 members of the local legislative
council petitioned Syamsuddin's dismissal on April 29 for being
too slow in handling Aceh's problems. The vote of no confidence
was given after the governor's annual report before the
legislators.</p><p>Syamsuddin, a scholar from the local Syah Kuala state
university, took office in 1993 to replace Ibrahim Hasan who was
then named a minister under the government of then president
Soeharto. Syamsuddin won another five-year term in 1998.</p><p>House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung regretted on
Friday the move that toppled Syamsudin.</p><p>"There has been misinterpretation of the law. A governor is
obliged to present his or her annual report, but it should not be
considered an accountability report," Akbar said.</p><p>He said he could understand the dismissal if it had a strong
legal basis and was in line with people's aspirations.</p><p>Chairman of the House's Commission II for domestic and legal
affairs Amin Aryoso supported Akbar's view, saying the ousting of
Syamsuddin would create legal uncertainty of a governor's duties.</p><p>"If this happens, the legislative council could sack a
governor every year," Amin said.</p><p>Syamsuddin took his dismissal easily and said he would enjoy
whatever post was given to him.</p><p>"If they want me to resign, fine. I have no complaint," he
said.</p><p>Students and activists, however, protested Ramli's appointment
as caretaker, labeling him a close confidant of former governor
Ibrahim and part of the New Order.</p><p>Hundreds of students from various universities rallied at the
provincial administrative building on Friday morning.</p><p>"The councilors only think about how much salary they could
earn and never think about the people. They only create cheap
political maneuvers. There are lots of Acehnese who deserve the
gubernatorial post," one of the students, Zukhri M.S. Adnan,
said.</p><p>Violence, meanwhile, also continued to rock the province, as
two people were killed and another man suffered burn injuries in
a mortar blast in Babah Buloh village in North Aceh on Thursday.</p><p>North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Syafei Aksal said Razali, 45,
died on the scene while Husni, 16, died later in the Lhokseumawe
General Hospital. Ramli Abdullah, 36, survived the blast.</p><p>The military also arrested an armed Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
rebel leader and three of his followers in Jeungki village at
Peureulak district, East Aceh.</p><p>"The four men were arrested on Tuesday at a house in
Peureulak," East Aceh Military chief Lt. Col. K. Irawan said on
Friday.</p><p>The GAM field commander is identified as Syahrul Idris, 35,
and his three followers are Badaruddin, 25, Syaiful, 20, and
Zaini, 40. (50/edt/jun)</p>