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)