Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Yusak Yaluwo will be inaugurated as the new regent of Boven Digoel, Papua, but faces the threat of being immediately suspended after his inauguration for his conviction in a graft case.
Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu is scheduled to lead the inauguration ceremony at the Home Ministry in Jakarta on Saturday. Yusak has appealed against his four-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
"Although he was sentenced to imprisonment, Yusak has the right to be inaugurated as regent because his status as convict is not binding as he can still appeal to the Constitutional Court," Barnabas told reporters in Waropen, Papua, recently. "But after the inauguration, he may be suspended and administrative affairs will be handed over to the deputy regent."
The governor was in Waropen to inaugurate regent-elect Yesaya Buiney and his deputy Yeremias Bisai.
He said if Yusak's appeal was rejected, the deputy regent would be promoted to the top post while the Boven Dogoel legislative council appointed a new deputy regent. "If Yusak is successful in his appeal, his position will be reinstated," Barnabas said.
Nine regencies and municipalities in Papua have completed their polls, all of which were shrouded in disputes and escalated to the Constitutional Court.
Three of the poll winners have been inaugurated as regents since winning their appeals at the Court: Yuvensius Biakai and running mate Saridjan Mottong of Asmat regency, Yusuf Wally and running mate Muhammad Markum of Keerom regency, and Yesaya and running mate Yeremias of Waropen regency.
The Court has ruled that Supiori and Merauke regencies would have to hold fresh elections as voting day irregularities were found. Romanus Mbaraka and running mate MT Sunardjo, who had the most votes before the case went to the court, again garnered the lead.
Jayapura municipality, Mamberami Raya and Pegunungan Bintang regencies are still preparing for their elections.
Barnabas blamed bias by the Elections Commission (KPUD) for the poll disputes. "I blame this trend on the KPUD performance. They have been partial where they should have been neutral," he said.
The arrest of the head of the Jayapura KPUD for graft, Barnabas said, was evidence of this "deplorable performance".
Papua Councilor Carolus Bolly said the KPUDs had lost the trust of the people. "The candidates were also too ambitious to accept the losses," Carolus, a member of the Democratic Party, said.