Antara
Ambon (ANTARA) - Home Affairs Ministry's Acting Director General of Regional Autonomy (Otda) Akmal Malik confirmed Murad Ismael and Barnabas Orno's inauguration on June 27, 2018, as Maluku governor and deputy governor after the 2019 Election.

Acting Governor of Maluku Hamin Bin Thahir gave a confirmation in Ambon on Saturday of the receipt of a letter from the Home Affairs Ministry's acting director general, stating intensive coordination with the Home Affairs Ministry and State Palace for making arrangements for the inauguration of Maluku's governor and deputy governor.

"Hence, the Acting Director General of the Ministry of Home Affairs' letter was, in fact, a response to a letter by Chairman of the Maluku DPRD Edwin Huwae seeking clarity on the appointment of the Maluku governor and deputy governor following the June 27, 2018, election," he noted.

This is based on the fact that Said Assagaff and Zeth Sahuburua ended their terms in office as the governor and deputy governor of Maluku for the 2014-2019 period on March 10, 2019.

Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo had, in fact, appointed Maluku Secretary General Thahir on March 8, 2019, to fulfill day-to-day duties as regional head.

The Home Affairs Ministry, through letter number: 121.81.2015 / OTDA, is deemed significant concerning clarification on the governor and deputy governor's inauguration for the 2019 - 2024 period signed by the Acting Director General of Regional Autonomy in response to a letter from the Chairperson of Maluku DPRD Number 043/87/DPRD, dated March 15, 2019, Maluku.

The letter outlined one of the aspects of the end of term of office of the governor and deputy governor of Maluku for the 2014-2019 term and scheduled elections for members of the House of Representatives (DPR-RI), Regional Representatives Council (DPD-RI), Provincial,District/ City legielative bodies, and Election of the President and Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia.

Taking into account the national strategic agenda, the inauguration of Maluku governor and deputy governor, chosen after the simultaneous elections in 2018, is scheduled after April 17, 2019.

According to Antara's reports, the Ismael-Orno pair, with the slogan "BAILEO," who had emerged victorious in the 2018 Maluku regional election, outshone the governor's incumbent pair, Assagaff- Rentanubun, with the slogan "SANTUN," and individual partners, Herman Adrian Koedoeboen-Abdullah Vanath (HOT).

The pair "BAILEO" secured 328,982 votes, while the pair "SANTUN" won 251,036 votes, and the pair "GREAT" bagged 225,636 votes.

The number of people on the Maluku Permanent Voters List (DPT) 2018 with political rights reached 1,149,990, spread across 3,358 polling stations in 11 districts and cities.

Meanwhile, the number of voters exercising their voting rights reached 814,038, with the number of valid ballots reaching 805,654.

Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019