Warsito Rasman inducted as Central Kalimantan governor

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. yesterday inducted Warsito Rasman as the new governor of Central Kalimantan, despite pleas from some local organizations to appoint a local figure.

During the swearing in ceremony in Palangka Raya, the province's capital, Yogie acknowledged that Warsito's election and subsequent appointment has been wrought with controversy but he appealed to all the Central Kalimantan people to give their whole hearted support to the new governor.

The people should look to the future instead of exchanging accusations about the election, he said as reported by the Antara news agency.

Warsito's appointment continued to be opposed in the last stages before President Soeharto named him, although he won the election at the Central Kalimantan assembly.

Warsito, who had been appointed caretaker governor of the province since January, is expected to leave his other official post as the director general of public administration and regional autonomy of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Some local organizations had opposed his appointment, insisting that the province should be lead by a local born leader instead of an "outsider." Warsito is Javanese.

It was for this reason also that the first election late last year was annulled when representatives of the Golkar faction which dominate the assembly threatened to resign en masse. They were protesting against the possibility of having an outside figure appointed.

Lesson

There was no controversy within the assembly in the second election in which the Golkar representatives voted for Warsito, but some local organizations accused them of succumbing to Jakarta pressures.

Yogie in his speech yesterday said that the controversy about the election process should not be regretted but rather used as a lesson for future elections.

He appealed to Warsito to carry out his duty as best as possible and fulfill the mandate and trust given to him by the people of Central Kalimantan.

During a meeting with the press after the ceremony, Warsito made a gesture of reconciliation with his critics.

"My doors are wide open for dialog and everyone is welcome to suggest alternative ways of developing this province," he was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.

He pointed out that this had always been his attitude even when he was caretaker governor.

One of the chief priorities upon taking his new post will be to intensify the development of the transportation sector in the province, he said, pointing in particular to the southern portion of the Trans-Kalimantan highway project linking many cities in the province. (emb)