Banten governor suspended indefinitely for corruption<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has suspended indefinitely
\nBanten Governor Djoko Munandar to facilitate his prosecution for
\na corruption case.<\/p>\n
Djoko, who was nominated by the National Mandate Party (PAN),
\nis the second incumbent governor to have been suspended during
\nSusilo's first year in office due to graft charges after Aceh
\nGovernor Abdullah Puteh's suspension last year.<\/p>\n
Djoko's suspension was stipulated in a presidential decree
\nsigned by Susilo on Monday, which was announced later in the day
\nby presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng after a coordination
\nmeeting on the anticorruption drive at the presidential office.<\/p>\n
Andi said the President had appointed Banten Deputy Governor
\nRatu Atut Chosiyah to take over administrative duties while
\nDjoko's prosecution was underway.<\/p>\n
\"The suspension was issued following a letter of request from
\nthe Minister of Home Affairs dated Sept. 6,\" Andi said.<\/p>\n
According to the presidential decree, the suspension is
\nmandatory to support the judicial process against Djoko, who has
\nbeen named a defendant, in accordance with Law No. 32\/2004 on
\nregional administration.<\/p>\n
Djoko is facing trial in a graft case believed to have caused
\nRp 14 billion (US$1.4 million) in state losses.<\/p>\n
The case is centered in the alleged misuse of the 2003 Banten
\nprovincial budget. As the provincial legislature speaker Djoko
\nallegedly took some Rp 3.5 billion to cover the activities of the
\ncouncillors who debated the draft budget and another Rp 10.5
\nbillion to illegally finance the construction of houses of 75
\ncouncillors.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have also named as suspects Dharmon K. Lawi, a
\nformer Banten council chairman who is now a House of
\nRepresentatives legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nfor Struggle (PDI-P); Muslim Djamaludin, former deputy speaker of
\nthe Banten legislature; Tardian, the legislative council's
\nsecretary; Tuti Sutiah Indra, former secretary of the council's
\nbudgetary committee and Mufrodi Muchsin, the current deputy
\nspeaker of the council.<\/p>\n
Puteh was suspended shortly after he was named a defendant in
\na mark-up case of a helicopter purchase, which caused Rp 12
\nbillion in state losses. Puteh was sentenced to 10 years, a
\nverdict recently upheld by the Supreme Court. Puteh also has to
\npay Rp 6 billion in restitution to the state.<\/p>\n
Since assuming power last October, Susilo has issued permits
\nto enable the investigation of the activities of nearly 40
\nregents who are implicated in corruption cases. The antigraft
\nmovement has now reached out to the judiciary corps, with the
\nprobe into alleged bribery involving Supreme Court officials.<\/p>",
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