14 councillors charged with graft<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni and ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Makassar\/Sidoarjo<\/p>\n
Police here named at least 14 of 75 South Sulawesi legislative
\ncouncil members as suspects on Thursday in a graft case, while
\nEast Java prosecutors sought a six-year jail term for Sidoarjo
\nlegislature speaker on similar charges.<\/p>\n
The 14 suspects, reelected as new South Sulawesi councillors
\nfor the 2004-2009 period, are accused of embezzling some Rp 18.23
\nbillion (US$2.02 million) from the province's 2003 budget.<\/p>\n
Eleven of them are Golkar Party councillors -- Saldi Mansyur,
\nIchsan Yasin Limpo, Dachlan Maulana, Abdul Madjid Thahir, Hoist
\nBahtiar, Ajeip Padindang, Mapparessa Tutu, Aris Pangerang, La
\nKamawiyaka, Arfandi Idris and Pangerang Rahim.<\/p>\n
The other suspects are Ramli Haba from the National Mandate
\nParty (PAN) and Machmud Hajar and Hamzah H. Pati Hasan.<\/p>\n
Earlier, police had also declared council secretary Syamsuddin
\na suspect in the graft.<\/p>\n
South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf said on
\nThursday the 14 new suspects had been charged following
\ninformation collected during two days of questioning Syamsuddin.<\/p>\n
\"They are considered to know more about the irregularities in
\nthe 2003 budget because they were directly involved in drafting
\nthe allocations of funds when the budget was being revised,\"
\nSaleh argued.<\/p>\n
However, he could not say when the 14 legislators would be
\nsummoned for questioning.<\/p>\n
Under Article 103 (3) of Government Regulation No. 25\/2004,
\nlaw enforcers can summon councillors for questioning in a
\ncorruption case without obtaining permission from the home
\naffairs minister.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss this matter. If the new regulation can be
\nimplemented now, we will soon summons the 14 councillors,\" Saleh
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The previous ruling required police or prosecutors to get
\npermission from the central government to question council
\nmembers charged with any crime.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, prosecutors asked the Sidoarjo District Court on
\nThursday to sentence local council speaker Utsman Ikhsan to six
\nyears for allegedly misusing Rp 21 billion from the city's 2003
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
The defendant, from the National Awakening Party (PKB), was
\nmostly responsible for corruption, prosecutor Soeprihanto told a
\nhearing.<\/p>\n
Utsman and his lawyer, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying
\nall Sidoarjo council members should be responsible for a decree
\nendorsing the allocation of the misused money.<\/p>\n
Corruption is rampant in local legislatures across the country
\nduring the reform era since mid 1998, with many members
\nconvicted, standing trial or being questioned.<\/p>",
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