I

t is wonderful to know that Scottish oil drilling expert Malcolm Primrose was released unharmed 48 hours after his abduction by a group of unknown gunmen in East Aceh on Tuesday. But the kidnapping attempt itself, reportedly over a huge ransom, is embarrassing for a province in dire need of new finds to renew the oil and gas industry as it peters out.

East Aceh Police deserve praise for coordination with other state agencies and the community to hunt down the kidnappers of the 61-year-old British national, who has worked in the province for around 30 years.

Apprehending the perpetrators and bringing them to justice could be instrumental in restoring the confidence of national and foreign investors in a province with such volatile history.

Kidnapping is one of the most primitive tactics used to extort foreigners and businesses. Abductions usually happen in chaotic and lawless regions, where there is no respect for the ruler or government. Local governments in Aceh cannot just wash their hand of the affair and pass the buck to the police or military.

Many of Aceh's leaders ' be they governor, deputy governor, mayors or regents ' are former leaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who fought for justice for the province and to free the people from the oppression of the central government. Once warriors, it is now time for them to prove to the world that they can do better than the previous rulers who they fought against, believing they were the best to rule their own people.

The abduction of Primrose attracted international attention. It happened in a province which received amazing sympathy, love and hundreds of millions of dollars in donation and aids from around the world when the tsunami hit Aceh in December 2004.

Unfortunately, controversial statements and action by local politicians can make the province the laughing stock of the world. Prohibition of women dancing in public, tight security controls on women's dress, and restriction on women riding motorbikes have dominated media headlines lately. We hear little things about their actions to combat
corruption.

As we celebrate the release of Malcolm Primrose, the Aceh government needs to learn from this humiliating
affair.