Thousands demand resignation of Temanggung regent
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.