Bribery behind NTB gubernatorial election, say councillors<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
Two councillors alleged on Saturday that money politics was
\nbehind the recent West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) gubernatorial election
\nwhich many people had previously thought was democratic and fair.<\/p>\n
The councillors made their allegations on the sidelines of a
\nmeeting by the gubernatorial election committee held to evaluate
\nthe election at the provincial legislature here on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Councillor Ali Ahmad of the Ukhuwah faction revealed that a
\nnumber of fellow councillors had attempted to bribe him to vote
\nfor a particular gubernatorial candidate.<\/p>\n
\"Before the election, two of my fellow councillors asked me to
\nvote for a certain candidate. I wouldn't do it at first. But, I
\ngave in as they were really persistent,\" he told The Jakarta Post
\non Saturday.<\/p>\n
The councillors, Ahmad said, had promised him a reward after
\nthe election.<\/p>\n
Ahmad, however, refused to reveal the names of the councillors
\ninvolved.<\/p>\n
\"I can't give you their names now. But, I will reveal all to
\nthe public and the election committee at the right time,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Another councillor, Syaiful Islam from the Golkar faction,
\nclaimed separately that he had evidence of attempts by a number
\nof councillors to bribe other councillors to vote for a certain
\ncandidate.<\/p>\n
\"A councillor told me that a number of fellow councillors had
\ngiven him a sum of money. The money was given to my colleague on
\ncondition that he would vote for a certain gubernatorial
\ncandidate in the election,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Syaiful refused to identify the councillors involved in the
\nbribery attempt.<\/p>\n
\"I have evidence. I don't want to reveal it now to the public
\nbut I will report it to the election committee,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The committee meeting, however, failed to reach any conclusion
\nregarding the role of money politics during the electoral
\nprocess. The election committee was divided over whether to
\ninvestigate the alleged bribery attempts or not.<\/p>\n
The West Nusa Tenggara Corruption Eradication Team also
\nsubmitted a report containing allegations of bribery in the
\nelection, saying that 15 councillors had received between Rp 50
\nmillion and Rp 75 million each to vote for a particular
\ngubernatorial candidate.<\/p>\n
Strangely, the report was retracted later in the evening after
\nthe team's chairman, Kaharuddin, met governor-elect Lalu Serinate
\nat his office.<\/p>\n
The withdrawal of the report gave rise to further questions
\nand confusion among the councillors attending the meeting.<\/p>\n
Councillors of the Golkar and Ukhuwah factions demanded that
\nKaharudin give a clarification before the meeting, but others
\nfrom the United Development Party (PPP) rejected the request,
\nsaying that Kaharudin had already withdrawn the report.<\/p>\n
The PPP faction also questioned the report's accuracy.<\/p>\n
However, committee chairman Abdurahim said that all reports
\nabout possible irregularities during the gubernatorial election
\nprocess would be studied.<\/p>\n
\"When we talk about bribery, we must listen to information
\nprovided by the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The meeting was adjourned until Monday to decide on the
\nbribery issue.<\/p>\n
Serinate, who is the council speaker, and Thamrin Rayes, the
\nsecretary of Sumbawa regency, won an overall majority in the
\nelection, putting them into office until 2008.<\/p>\n
Serinate, a former member of Golkar, recently defected to the
\nPPP.<\/p>\n
The election's results still have to be presented to President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri through Minister of Home Affairs Hari
\nSabarno for endorsement.<\/p>\n
The election committee is allowed to request that the
\nPresident cancel the swearing-in of Serinate if there is proof
\nthat he resorted to bribery during the gubernatorial election.<\/p>",
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