F

our candidate pairs are expected to contest the West Kalimantan gubernatorial election, as the current governor’s term in office will end on Jan. 14, 2013.

Under tight security from police personnel, the West Kalimantan General Elections Commission (KPUD) on Aug. 6 drew the numerical order of the four gubernatorial candidate pairs in the provincial capital of Pontianak.

They will compete in the regional leadership election, with the campaign sheduled for Sept. 3 until Sept. 16.

After all the candidates took their numbers, the KPUD held a plenary meeting to verify the names and photos and later determine the numerical order in which they will be printed on the ballot papers.

Incumbent Governor Cornelis and his running mate Christiandy Sanjaya were chosen as the No.1 candidates, followed by Maj. Gen. (ret.) Armyn Ali Anyang and Fathan A. Rasyid (No. 2), Morkes Effendi and Burhanuddin A. Rasyid (No. 3) and Abang Tambul Husin and Barnabas Simin (No. 4).

The forum was at one point marred by a protest from the Abang Tambul camp, who raised doubts regarding the validity of rivals Maj. Gen. Armyn and Fathan, whom they regard as active Indonesian Military (TNI) members and civil servants.

“We want certainty on the matter so as to prevent problems later,” said Tambul’s campaign team member Thobias Ranggie.

Muzammil immediately replied the KPUD could not intervene on the matter, and affirmed that the numerical order selection had been carried out in accordance with rules.

“They (Armyn-Fathan) have submitted their withdrawal. The matter has been regulated by the law. This forum is not to debate the matter, and if they are not satisfied, please bring the matter to court,” asserted Muzammil.

On the morning before the numerical order selection, the West Kalimantan KPUD held a plenary meeting with regency/mayoralty KPUD levels with the agenda of determining the number of voters. The total number of eligible voters is 3,377,685 people (1,724,329 men and 1,653,356 women). As many as 11,009 polling stations will be set up across the province.

During the previous West Kalimantan gubernatorial election, Cornelis and Christiandy were the winners. Their tenure will end on Jan. 14, 2013, and they have both partnered in a package twice.

“There are several examples of incumbent pairs who are no longer together in the next candidacy, but our candidate pair remain solid for the second time,” said Cornelis.

Rivals who would face the incumbents are West Kalimantan Golkar Party Regional Executive Board chairman Morkes Effendi, who is also a former Ketapang regent, and is partnering with former Sambas regent Burhanuddin A. Rasyid.

Burhanuddin’s younger brother Fathan A. Rasyid, is also competing for the vice gubernatorial candidacy with Armyn Ali Anyang, a former TNI commander-in-chief’s Social Communications Affairs staff member at the TNI headquarters. Fathan was former West Kalimantan Development Planning Board (Bappeda) chairman.

Former Kapuas Hulu regent Abang Tambul Husin has paired with Barnabas Simin. If the election proceeds to the second round, the following election will be scheduled for Nov. 8, 2012.