Aceh NGO reveals graft cases of a defiant Puteh<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An Aceh based non-governmental organization revealed a long
\nlist of alleged fund abuses by Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh and
\ncalled for his ouster, as Jakarta is currently reviewing his
\nperformance.<\/p>\n
Aceh People's Solidarity for Anticorruption (SAMAK) blamed
\nPuteh for rampant corruption in his office that has worsened the
\nsuffering of the Acehnese in the war-torn province. But Puteh
\ndenied the charges on Wednesday, accusing the NGO of fabricating
\nthem.<\/p>\n
Sapto Waluyo, who coordinates a coalition of 38 NGOs backing
\nSAMAK's call, said money had poured into Aceh since it received a
\nspecial autonomy status last year.<\/p>\n
The province, he said, received a total of Rp 8.8 trillion in
\n2002 (about US$252 million). "But as of now, economic recovery in
\nthe province remains slow," he told a press conference.<\/p>\n
He said that Aceh received Rp 1.11 trillion for humanitarian
\nprograms but said he could not see how it had helped ease the
\nsuffering of the Acehnese people.<\/p>\n
J. Kamal Farza of SAMAK disclosed a two year investigation on
\nthe alleged corruption practices in Aceh, highlighting abuses by
\nthe governor.<\/p>\n
Puteh's vehicles, he said, were worth Rp 1.8 billion or three
\ntimes the price of vehicles allotted to ministers in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"We believe that several projects are dubious and full of
\nmark-up practices," he said, citing one case where Aceh purchased
\na patrol ship for Rp 20.7 billion while the normal price should
\nhad been Rp 9 billion.<\/p>\n
He added the governor once bought a helicopter for Rp 12
\nbillion which the Navy had purchased for just Rp 3.5 billion in
\nthe same year.<\/p>\n
Puteh has also come under fire for launching an airline
\nservice, which was inaugurated by President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri last year but folded less than five months after.<\/p>\n
"And how about the mega project Seulawah Air Service? None of
\nthe Acehnese people have experienced any benefit, we don't know
\nwhether the project still exists," Farza said referring to the
\nfailed airline.<\/p>\n
SAMAK also raised suspicion over the use of Rp 700 billion in
\neducation funds, saying it did not know where the money had gone
\nto. The Aceh NGO said it could not register the slightest
\nimprovement in education despite the money.<\/p>\n
Data from the national census in 2001 showed that 76,000
\nchildren failed to obtain a formal education at school. In the
\nsame year, some 6 percent or 267,000 of Aceh's 4.2 million people
\nremain illiterate.<\/p>\n
Legal efforts to curb these alleged practices had failed,
\naccording to SAMAK.<\/p>\n
Last year at least 392 corruption cases involving high
\nofficials in the Aceh administration had not been brought to
\ncourt. The figure was worse compared to the 374 cases in 2001,
\naccording to SAMAK.<\/p>\n
The coalition, in which the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW)
\nis also a member, demanded the government to suspend Puteh.<\/p>\n
They also called for a presidium which would temporarily
\nreplace Puteh, pending the election of a new governor through a
\ndirect gubernatorial election.<\/p>\n
The government has promised to look into the allegation,
\nsaying it was reviewing Puteh's performance. There has been no
\ndate set to announce the review's outcome.<\/p>\n
Facing a barrack of criticism, the embattled Puteh urged the
\npeople not to judge him.<\/p>\n
He accused the NGOs of fabricating their charges, and said
\nthey probably did not even know how a budget worked.<\/p>\n
"All the money comes from the regional budget, it has been
\nearmarked for specific purposes. One cannot just take it and
\ncorrupt it," explained Puteh.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-ngo-reveals-graft-cases-of-a-defiant-puteh-1447893297",
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