Tangerang's new regent sworn in

TANGERANG: Banten governor Djoko Munandar swore in Ismet Iskandar as the new regent of Tangerang and Norodom Sukarno as his deputy for the 2003-2008 term during a ceremony in the regency capital of Tigaraksa last Saturday.

Ismet, the former Tangerang regency secretary, was nominated by the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU) and obtained 23 of the 43 votes in the election on Feb. 27.

He said he would focus on restructuring the administration.

Under the leadership of outgoing regent Agus Djunara, the administration consisted of 18 agencies and five bodies that served the public according to their fields.

Ismet said he planned to eliminate four of the existing agencies and form three new bodies in accordance with government regulation No. 8/2003 on work implementation structures (SOTK).

He also said that a number of villages bordering Jakarta would be reclassified as districts in order to improve services to the public.

Ismet also promised to pay more attention to farmers and fishermen in a bid to improve the industries, especially in the northern part of the regency.

He added he would build this year a road that connected several districts, such as Ciputat, Serpong, Curug, Legok, Tigaraksa and Balaraja.--JP