Thousands demand resignation of Temanggung regent
Suherdjoko and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Temanggung
About 10,000 people took to the streets of Temanggung regency, Central Java, on Wednesday to demand the resignation of Regent Totok Ary Prabowo for corruption and arrogance.
The largest protest ever held in the regency took place after more than 100 Temanggung civil servants "issued" a motion of no- confidence against the regent several days earlier.
The protesters, including civil servants, students and farmers, came from all corners of Temanggung. They descended on the Temanggung legislative council building in the morning and voiced their demand for Totok's resignation.
Protesters spilled out of the council building and into the street, paralyzing traffic. The wheels of government were also brought to a halt as hundreds of civil servants joined the action.
The protesters made speeches and unfurled banners and posters accusing the regent of being corrupt and demanding the police investigate him.
Responding to the protest, Temanggung councillors held a plenary meeting in the afternoon, with the result being a motion of no-confidence against the regent.
The plenary meeting met the quorum as it was attended by 31 councillors, or more than two-thirds of the 45 members of the regency council. The councillors also agreed during the one-hour meeting to question the regent on Thursday over the corruption allegations against him.
If the council is not satisfied with the Totok's responses, they can file a recommendation with the President for the regent's dismissal.
Law No. 32/2004 on regional government says regional councils do not have the power to dismiss regents, with that right residing in the hands of the president.
"We have to follow procedures. We have to exercise our right to question the regent before we make any recommendations. If we ignore procedures, the council's decision will be legally defective," said Bambang Soekarno, the speaker of Temanggung regental council.
The protest came after more than 112 government officials in the regency announced on Friday night they no longer acknowledged the leadership of Totok. The officials continued to show up to work and serve the public, but they refused to wear their uniforms or obey the regent's orders.
Twelve out of 20 district heads in the regency took part in the protest. "Civil servants are the servants of the people, not the servants of the Temanggung regent," said Agus Widodo, the head of Tembarak district.
The civil servants were reacting to what they claimed was Totok's arrogance. When asked for an example, they pointed to the fact that a few days after Totok took office last year, he ordered a rotation of civil servants in the regency.
Separately, the chief of the Central Java Police, Insp. Gen. Chaerul Rasyid, said he had dispatched a team of investigators to probe a Rp 12.7 billion (US$1.4 million) corruption case allegedly involving Totok. The regent is accused of embezzling election funds last year.
The protest in Temanggung was similar to protests last year by thousands of teachers and residents in Kampar regency, Riau province. The protests led to the dismissal of Kampar Regent Jefri Noer.