Government confirms re-election of Thaib as N. Maluku governor

Ridwan Max Sijabat ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 06/03/2008 9:48 AM  |  The Archipelago

Seven months after the controversial gubernatorial election in North Maluku, the central government on Monday endorsed the re-election of incumbent governor Thaib Armayn and his running mate Abdul Gani Kasuba.

Home Minister Mardiyanto said the decision was based on the Supreme Court's March decision to annul the vote count conducted by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

"Before making the decision, the central government considered all the legal facts, especially the ones used by the Supreme Court. We also considered political and security factors," he said.

The North Maluku gubernatorial election was held in November last year.

The vote conflict was triggered by disagreement over the results of vote counting in three districts in the province.

A series of violent rallies were staged in North Maluku and outside the Home Ministry in Jakarta protesting the election results. The protests were conducted by Armayn supporters and supporters of Abdul Garfur and his running mate Abdurrahim Fabanyo, who were nominated by the Golkar Party.

Security officials responded violently in attempts to stop the rallies, amid fears of a revival of the sectarian conflict that claimed thousands of lives from 2000 to 2002 in North Maluku.

The 35-member provincial legislative council was at loggerheads over the election results, with the Golkar faction demanding the government recognize Garfur's victory.

On April 12, Coordinating Minister for Political Security and Legal Affairs Widodo A.S. lead a discussion between high-powered government officials, political elites, university academics and religious figures to discuss the uncertain political situation.

Following the discussion, Mardiyanto submitted a draft edict to the Supreme Court, which accepted it on May 14, declaring Thaib and Gani the winners of the gubernatorial election.

"The Supreme Court awarded the government the discretion to determine the race's winner. We will process the decision and ask the president to issue a decree inaugurating the winning pair who will govern during the 2008-2013 period," Widodo A.S. said.

The minister appealed to all sides in North Maluku to accept the decision.

He has instructed security authorities to enforce the government's decision and to help reduce conflict to allow the winning pair to focus on economic development.

Four pairs of governor hopefuls ran for office in the gubernatorial election last year.

The incumbent governor and vice governor were nominated by the Democratic Party (PD), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB).

Besides Garfur and Fabanyo, the other candidates were Antony Charles Sunaryo and his running mate Mohammad Amin Drakel, and Irwan Eddyson and his running mate Atti Achmad. Sunaryo and Drakel were nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Eddyson and Achmad by the Prosperous Peaceful Party (PDS).

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