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Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The Golkar Party will resort to legal action if the government actually installs the Thaib Armaiyn-Abdul Gani Kasuba pair as North Maluku governor and vice governor, the party`s vice chairman, Agung Laksono, said.

"If the government pushes through its plan to intsall the Thaib Armayin-Abdul Gani Kasuba pair as North Maluku governor and vice governor, the Golkar Party will take legal action (against it)," Laksono said.

Speaking to reporters before taking a flight to return to Jakarta here Monday, Laksono said the government`s decision to recognize Thaib Armayin and Abdul Gani Kasuba as the winners of North Maluku`s gubernatorial election was against existing laws and regulations.

To ovecome the North Maluku electoral dispute, the Home Affairs Minister should have made a decision based on the vote count conducted by the regional election commission which showed that the winners of the election were Abdul Gafur and Abdurrahim Fabanyo, he said.

"The government`s decision favoring Thaib Armaiyn and Abdul Gani Kasuba is a mistake because the government`s and Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD)`s decision in resolving the province`s electoral wrangle should have been based on the regional general election commision`s ruling," he said.

The government`s decision in this case had made the government appear as acting "strangely" and given rise to suspicion that certain parties did not want to see Abdul Gafur at the helm of North Maluku`s provincial administration.

This was the second time Abdul Gafur was prevented from assuming the gubernatorial post in North Maluku although he won the election, Laksono said, adding the first time was five years ago.

"At the time, Gafur was also elected but he was not installed either. So we can ask; what is actually behind all this?" Laksono said.

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