Commission names Puteh a graft suspect<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Governor Abdullah Puteh was declared a graft suspect on Tuesday
\nfor allegedly marking up the price of a Russian-made helicopter
\nthe Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam administration purchased in 2002.<\/p>\n
"We have ordered investigators to question him as a suspect.
\nWe have summoned him and he is expected to be questioned next
\nweek," Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, the deputy chairman of the
\npowerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), said.<\/p>\n
The KPK decision came despite a letter from interim
\ncoordinating minister for political and security affairs Hari
\nSabarno, asking the KPK to "provide sufficient time and room for
\nPuteh to fulfill his duties as the head of the civil emergency
\nadministration" in Aceh.<\/p>\n
"The civil emergency administration hopes the KPK will
\nconsider the time constraints on Abdullah Puteh in meeting the
\nsummons ... and to provide sufficient time and room for him to
\ncarry out his duties," Hari said in a letter dated June 14, a
\ncopy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, Puteh said he would respect the due process of
\nthe law.<\/p>\n
"It is a process. I have heard nothing yet and I cannot
\ncomment as I have yet to receive the summons. I will respect the
\nlaw," Puteh said.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police are also investigating the alleged markup by the
\nAceh administration on the purchase of used printing machines
\nvalued at Rp 4.2 billion. The machines, however, are not
\nfunctioning.<\/p>\n
Puteh's is the first major case the KPK has handled since its
\nestablishment almost six months ago.<\/p>\n
Tumpak said the commission had sufficient preliminary evidence
\nof corruption by Puteh in the purchase of the Russian-made Mi-2
\nPLC Rostove Mill helicopter in 2002 using money from the
\nprovincial budget.<\/p>\n
He said investigators had found state losses of Rp 4 billion
\n(US$420,000) in the purchase, but were still attempting to
\ndetermine the total amount of losses suffered by the state in the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Investigators found that the Aceh administration purchased the
\nhelicopter for Rp 12.6 billion, while the Navy had bought the
\nsame type of helicopter for Rp 6.1 billion.<\/p>\n
"We are still trying to get the exact figure as the helicopter
\npurchased by the Aceh administration has several sophisticated
\ndevices the one bought by the Navy does not have, such as a
\nbullet-proof windscreen," Tumpak said.<\/p>\n
The KPK has yet to order his suspension as governor or impose
\na travel ban on Puteh, who is the head of the civil emergency
\nadministration in Aceh.<\/p>\n
However, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Tuesday
\nthe government would not take action against Puteh until there
\nwas a verdict in his case.<\/p>\n
"As long as there is no legally binding verdict in his case,
\nhe is still the governor," Hari said before meeting with the
\nspecial committee of the House of Representatives in charge of
\ndeliberating revisions to the regional autonomy law.<\/p>\n
He also said Puteh could only be suspended with a
\nrecommendation from the Aceh Legislative Council.<\/p>\n
Hasballah M. Saad, an Acehnese community leader and a member
\nof the National Commission on Human Rights, said on Tuesday the
\nPresident and Minister Hari must suspend Puteh from all of his
\nduties until the court clears him in the graft case.<\/p>\n
"Such a suspension is necessary in order to regain the trust
\nof the Acehnese," Hasballah said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/commission-names-puteh-a-graft-suspect-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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