Regent fired as PDI Perjuanganteam leader
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Cilacap, Central Java
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has dismissed Cilacap Regent Probo Yulastoro as the party's local election victory team leader because of a scandal over civil servants and students being required to purchase T-shirts and books with the party's symbol.
Fran Lukman, who chairs the Cilacap regency branch of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's PDI Perjuangan and the local legislative council, said on Wednesday the decision was taken to counter public allegations the regent misused his power for the benefit of the party.
The decision comes amid increased anger over the order that civil servants, including teachers, buy T-shirts bearing a photo of Lukman and PDI Perjuangan's symbol.
People also are angry with the local party for telling elementary and junior high school students to buy exercise books bearing pictures of Probo, Lukman, Megawati and her father, founding president Sukarno.
The two orders were reportedly approved by the Cilacap Education and Culture Office. The T-shirts were sold for Rp 12,500 (US$1.47) each, while the exercise books cost Rp 5,000 for a pack of four.
It is thought that the orders, which have angered parents, school principals, civil servants and residents, are related to next year's elections.
Both Lukman and Probo, a senior figure in the PDI Perjuangan, are trying to distance themselves from the controversy.
Lukman has denied knowing that the T-shirts and books were sold through bureaucratic channels, despite the fact that the chairman of the Sukarno Center Foundation, Rujimanto, who is responsible for the two items, is an PDI Perjuangan executive in the regency.
The center's office is also located in the same building as the headquarters of the PDI Perjuangan's local branch.
In response to the public uproar, Regent Probo issued an order to all heads of local government agencies to prohibit civil servants and teachers from wearing T-shirts bearing the symbol of any political party.
He also banned all civil servants from taking part in election campaigns.
However, after Probo ordered local officials to remain politically impartial, he was removed by Lukman as chairman of PDI Perjuangan's local election victory team for the 2004 elections.
Lukman appointed himself to take over the team, with Rujimanto as his secretary.
Lukman said he hoped that Probo would be better able to focus on his duties as regent now that he no longer chaired the election team, adding that Probo should be careful not to wear a PDI Perjuangan T-shirt when attending party meetings. "This is in compliance with his own order for civil servants."
The controversy over the T-shirts and books has prompted the Cilacap Election Supervisory Committee to summon local PDI Perjuangan leaders for questioning.
Party leaders could be barred from campaigning if found guilty of violating election laws in the T-shirt and book matter, the committee said.
After summoning the PDI Perjuangan leaders, members of the election committee have reportedly received threatening phone calls from anonymous callers.
The committee's deputy chairman, Fatihun, said an unidentified caller told him to drop the matter or he would be killed.