Ulemas protest regent candidates

Ulemas protest regent candidates

BOGOR (JP): About 500 ulemas went to the Bogor Legislative
Council Tuesday to protest the way Bogor regent candidates were
selected, which according to them was unfair.

The ulemas said they were strongly dissatisfied with the way
the council chose a shortlist of five candidates from an initial
28 because their favorite, Col. Santosa Jayaatmaja, was not among
them.

"Why didn't the council members put Santosa's name on the list
of candidates which goes forward to the Minister of Home Affairs
for approval," Arsyuddin, the ulemas' spokesman, said.

He said that Santosa had a lot of support, including from
members of the 716 Islamic boarding houses throughout Bogor.

"Our visit here is spontaneous and was not engineered. If the
councillors do not believe us, we can come back here again
tomorrow with thousands of other supporters," Arsyuddin said.

"The exclusion of Santosa raises the specter of anti-reform,
manipulation, corruption, collusion and nepotism within the
council," he said.

Hasan Zaenal Abidin, a council deputy speaker, said the
protest should have been held at the home affairs ministry
because the list of candidates had already been sent on for
approval.

"Why have you just expressed your complaint now? The council
is already waiting for a decision to be made by the minister," he
said. (24/hhr)