Two organizations reject Soewardi

SEMARANG, Central Java: The provincial branch office of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) protested Soewardi's renomination as governor for the 1998/2003 term, saying he did not have an exemplary leadership record.

"Therefore, we ask the provincial council to drop Soewardi's renomination and elect a new governor," Rofiq Anwar, chairman of the provincial ICMI branch office, said here yesterday.

Students of several universities and ulema in the province have also recently lodged their protest against Soewardi's renomination.

Rofiq said the province needed a new governor who was credible and had the support of the majority considering the crucial political situation engulfing the country.

Zaenal Mustaqin, chairman of the provincial branch office of the Association of Islamic Students (HMI), called on the provincial council to focus its attention on three other nominated candidates: former Diponegoro military commander Maj. Gen. Mardiyanto, current Diponegoro Military Commander Maj. Gen. Tyasno Sudarto and Maj. Gen. Sunarto, a senior staffer at Armed Forces Headquarters in Jakarta.

"Most people are very disappointed with Soewardi's leadership, including the yellowization case during the general elections last year," he said. (har)