Team investigates dismissal of Kampar regent, deputy

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."