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Govt
gives go-ahead to Maluku legislature to elect new governor
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The
Jakarta Post June
2, 2003
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Govt gives go-ahead to Maluku
legislature to elect new governor
Aziz Tunny,
The Jakarta Post, Ambon, Maluku
After receiving a green light from
the central government, the Maluku Legislative Council will be
making preliminary preparations to hold a gubernatorial election
after a delay of nine months.
Legislative council deputy chairman
Jhon Mailoa said in a press conference here on Saturday that the
provincial legislature was scheduled to hold a plenary session on
Monday to form a gubernatorial election committee that will be
chaired by legislator Zeth Sahuburua.
"Despite the civil emergency,
the situation in Maluku has been deemed conducive to hold a
gubernatorial election. We need a permanent governor to lead the
province ahead of the June 2004 general election and presidential
election," he said.
He did not name a date for the
gubernatorial election but said it would be held this year.
Home minister Hari Sabarno has
delivered an official letter, asking the provincial legislative
council to elect a new governor for the 2003-2008 period.
The central government had delayed
the gubernatorial election that should have been held last
September, for an indefinite period due to the political
instability in the province, and appointed Sinyo Herman
Sarundayang as acting governor.
Months before and after September
last year, several areas in the province, including the provincial
capital of Ambon, were rocked by bomb blasts, prompting the
central government to delay the gubernatorial election.
Certain groups who were
disappointed with the signing of the February 2002 Malino peace
agreement are believed to be behind the series of bomb blasts.
The situation in the province
became heated in April in connection with the celebration of the
South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist movement's 53rd
anniversary. Dozens of RMS supporters and leaders were sent to
prison and arrested for raising the outlawed organization's flag.
The political instability is partly
the result of the three-year sectarian conflict that claimed more
than 6,000 lives and displaced around 750,000 people. The conflict
erupted on Jan. 19, 1999.
Mailoa said further that the
provincial legislature would coordinate closely with the civil
emergency administrator and the local and military authorities to
maintain security and order during the gubernatorial election.
"We will set a schedule for
all phases ranging from the selection of gubernatorial candidates
to the election and installation of a new governor," he said,
adding that he had no idea who would be running in the election.
He acknowledged that the situation
in the province was gradually returning to normal and the
legislature would ask the central government to ask the central
government to lift the civil emergency after the province elected
a new governor.
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