Pastika will reinaugurate Buleleng leaders

After more than one-month delay, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has finally agreed to reinaugurate the newly elected regent and deputy regent of Buleleng, scheduled to take place on Aug. 27.

“The reinauguration would be the best solution in terms of legality. This decision was taken after discussions with Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi,” said the governor, as he spoke with journalists at his official residence in Denpasar on Saturday.

Gamawan previously claimed that the inauguration of the new Buleleng regent, Putu Agus Suradnyana, and his deputy, I Nyoman Sutjidra, for the period of 2012 to 2017 was unlawful.

On July 24, Bali Deputy Governor A.A. Puspayoga inaugurated the newly elected regent and deputy regent in the regency’s capital of Singaraja.

Initially, the governor, Made Mangku Pastika, was slated to preside over the ceremony. The plan was shelved, however, when Pastika had to leave Bali for Singapore to have comprehensive medical treatment for his heart problem.

One day before the July 24 inauguration, the home minister ordered a cancellation of the event for legal reasons.

According to the regional autonomy law, the deputy governor would have been entitled to inaugurate the new leaders only if he had obtained a formal delegation letter from the governor.

At that time, Pastika had not given his deputy any instructions, let alone a formal letter, as he was reportedly having intensive medical treatment in Singapore.

The home minister issued a letter giving temporary authority to Buleleng’s administrative secretary, I Dewa Ketut Puspaka, to act as caretaker in Buleleng.

“It was a very decisive moment in Buleleng on the eve of the inauguration. We were worried that the cancellation would spark a mass riot similar to the ones in 1998. The central government might have forgotten the memory
of those dreadful riots,” an insider told Bali Daily on Saturday in Singaraja.

Fortunately, Buleleng leaders, comprising of executive, legislative and judicative powers, refused the minister’s order to cancel the inauguration on July 24.

The heads of traditional village associations had also refused to abide by the minister’s order saying they were afraid that the cancellation would cause conflict among the Buleleng people.

Pastika, however, confirmed that the next inauguration would be held simply, in Denpasar at the provincial Jaya Sabha building.

“There will be no party. What is more important is the legality given to new Buleleng regent and deputy regent to run the administration,” said Pastika.

It was reported that the July 24 inauguration cost Buleleng administration Rp 260 million (US$ 27,600), taken from the regional budget.