Team investigates dismissal of Kampar regent, deputy

Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

Riau Governor Saleh Djasit has set up a team to investigate the controversial dismissal of Kampar Regent Jefri Noer and his deputy A. Zakir by the town's legislative council who claimed the two top officials had lost public trust.

"I have ordered the establishment of a special team to look into the decision by the Kampar Legislative Council," Djasit told journalists on Monday.

He said the team would examine whether the council's reasons to oust Jefri and Zakir last Saturday through a plenary session in the Kampar capital city of Bangkinang were valid.

Also under scrutiny would be the procedures through which the council removed the regent, Djasit added, but declined to name the members of the team.

He said he had been asked by the Ministry of Home Affairs to establish the team, whose findings would be reported to Jakarta before a final decision would be taken.

Jefri was the fourth regional administration head to have been dismissed since the inception of regional autonomy in 2001 through a vote of no-confidence lodged by the legislatures that elected them. These moves were sparked by a lack of clarity in regulations on the mechanism for appointing and replacing regents, mayor and governors.

Governor Saleh maintained that Jefri remained the legitimate regent of Kampar pending the endorsement of the council's decision by President Megawati Soekarnoputri through Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.

"Whatever the central government decides, both sides have to accept it," Djasit said.

Under the autonomy law, the central government has the final say in approving or rejecting the dismissals of regents, mayors and governors by regional legislatures.

Kampar councillors attributed Jefri's ouster to several development projects that had been left unfinished under his administration.

Local non-governmental groups added pressure on Jefri to resign on the grounds that he used a fake diploma he obtained from a senior high school in Pekanbaru, Riau to run for the post of regent.

In response, Jefri has argued that the development of unnamed projects was neglected as some members of the council asked him to involve their cronies as partners in the projects.

Asked whether he agreed that Jefri had lost public trust, the governor said: "It should be studied painstakingly. Any assessment should not be based on one side. Kampar has a population of 400,000 people. They should be involved in making the decision."