Rift widens over N. Maluku gubernatorial election

Rift widens over N. Maluku gubernatorial election

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A dispute over the validity of the North Maluku gubernatorial
election signaled a deepening rift between the Supreme Court and
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.

The government and the Supreme Court differ sharply over the
bribery case surrounding the election of Abdul Gafur, a Golkar
Party member and New Order (Soeharto regime) stalwart. The
election, which was held on July 5, was annulled by the local
council in September.

Shortly after the central government decided on Sept. 28 to
recognize the annulment, the Supreme Court declared that the
election was in fact legitimate and that Gafur should be sworn in
as governor.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Thursday that
the President had the final say on the issue because governors
are the central government's representative in each province.

"A gubernatorial post is a political post... of course the
President has the authority in deciding the matters," Hari told
journalists.

The supreme court decision, he said, fulfilled the legal
aspects of the appointment but the larger issue is that this
particular case relates to central governmental administration
and authority.

"For that reason the President has the right to support the
annulment," Hari said.

The North Maluku Provincial Council's annulment of the
election was based on Gafur's alleged involvement in bribery
during the election. The council also made it clear that it had
firm evidence of the bribery after two council members confessed
to working with Gafur while carrying out corrupt activities.

The council is currently preparing a new election before the
end of this year.

The central government, which set up a team to probe the case,
had announced that there was alleged bribery in the election.
Gafur himself admitted that he had indeed dispensed some money
but he refused to call it a bribe.

This is not the first time that the government had expressed
concern over a Supreme Court decision.

The first controversial decision taken by the highest judicial
body was when it overturned a previous ruling and exonerated
former president Soeharto's son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra
early last month.

Tommy, who was involved in a major corruption case, was also a
key Golkar player.

Former president Abdurrahman Wahid during his tenure had
refused to inaugurate Bagir Manan, the current chief justice,
claiming that he was too closely connected to the New Order
regime and Golkar.