"All people of Aceh are in need of psychological comfort, peace, and security before the elections," Tarmizi told the candidates of governor and deputy governor at a meeting on Sunday morning.
He said the pairs of governor and deputy governor aspirants in the upcoming regional elections should meet as often as possible to unite their joint efforts to seek peace and security ahead of the elections.
Tarmizi also expressed hope that the success team of each pair of governor and deputy governor aspirant should work together with the local government to free the local people from fear and intimidation.
"A peaceful election can only be created if the people feel free to sincerely elect whoever they want to elect without pressure and intimidation," Tarmizi noted.
He asserted that the local government and civil servants have had a strong commitment to being neutral in the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, Aceh Police Chief Inspector General Iskandar Hasan said the security condition in the province was relatively conducive for the regional elections.
"There is no problem. Although the political climate is heating up, the security situation in general is under control and conducive for the regional elections," Iskandar noted.
Iskandar admitted the heightening of political climate in Aceh before the elections, but he called on the local public figures and political elite to jointly bring it under control.
He noted that violent and criminal cases at several areas in the province in the past few weeks were still being investigated but the problem was that the police had yet to have the witnesses and evidence of that cases.
"We have yet to have the witnesses and evidence of those criminal cases and therefore the local people who happen to see such incidence should have courage to report it to the police as soon as possible," Iskandar said.
(Uu.O001/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
