Regent inaugurated despite controversy

Regent inaugurated despite controversy

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java

Banyumas Legislative Council swore in Aris Setiono as the
Banyumas regent and Imam Durori as his deputy, ending controversy
over bribery charges that delayed their inauguration last month.

Central Java Governor Mardiyanto led Saturday's inauguration
ceremony, which will see the pair lead Banyumas for the next five
years, until 2008.

"The heavy responsibilities of the regent and his deputy
include the high levels of poverty and unemployment in Banyumas,"
said Mardiyanto in his speech.

The two were elected on March 19, marking the first election
in Banyumas held under the 1999 autonomy laws. Regional autonomy
allows councillors to elect their governors, regents and mayors
without having to consult the president.

Setiono and Durori, both from the Golkar faction, should have
been sworn in on March 24. The council, however, ruled the
election results as void after an investigation by the election
committee into reports that alleged bribery behind their
election.

The reports had been made by the Swara Hati foundation and the
Banyumas chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan).

In its report to the council, the PDI Perjuangan faction said
its members, Achmad Sudirta and Supadi, confessed they had
accepted Rp 200 million (about US$22,400) from Setiono in return
for their votes.

Both PDI-Perjuangan members later retracted their confessions.

A plenary session of the council then decided to clear Setiono
and Durori of the charges.

Governor Mardiyanto said that anyone disagreeing with the
election of the two should take their complaint to court.

"Let the legal process and the political process go their own
ways; that's why the inauguration has been carried out anyway,"
the governor said.

PDI-Perjuangan factions dominate most councils, but they have
often lost out to other factions during gubernatorial and regency
elections.

Charges of bribery have marred the elections in several
provinces, while others have become embroiled in disputes between
councillors and local administrations.