Former West Java governor accused of bribing councillors<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Mataram<\/p>\n
Former West Java governor Nuriana has been accused of bribing all
\n100 members of the previous provincial legislative council to
\ncover up his alleged role in a Rp 224 billion (US$24.8 million)
\ngraft case.<\/p>\n
Former councillor Endang Rahmat said on Wednesday that Nuriana
\ndisbursed Rp 33.4 billion to council members serving the 1999-
\n2004 term, when prosecutors were looking into a graft case
\nallegedly involving the governor.<\/p>\n
"It was hush money to stop the councillors from pushing for a
\nprobe into the Rp 224 billion corruption case against Nuriana,"
\nEndang said on Wednesday while testifying during the graft trial
\nof Kurdi Moekri, a former deputy speaker of the West Java
\ncouncil.<\/p>\n
Kurdi is on trial for a graft case involving Rp 33.4 billion
\nin housing aid for the 100 former councillors. Two other former
\ncouncil deputy speakers, Suparno and Suyaman, are also suspects
\nin the case and the West Java Prosecutor's Office is currently
\ncompleting their case files.<\/p>\n
However, prosecutors are not charging former council speaker
\nEka Santosa in the case, claiming he had nothing to do with the
\ndisbursement of the dirty money. Each of the 100 councillors
\nallegedly received Rp 250 million, with senior officials
\nreportedly pocketing much more.<\/p>\n
Endang, who also chairs the non-governmental organization
\nCommittee Concerned for Reform, said an investigation by the
\nSupreme Audit Agency (BPK) in 1999 found financial irregularities
\nin Nuriana's administration totaling Rp 224 billion.<\/p>\n
According to the BPK, the use of this money, some of which was
\ndisbursed for a lake development project, donations to the Al-
\nIkhsan Foundation and a housing project for council members, was
\nagainst prevailing laws.<\/p>\n
Endang said that when chairing a special committee for reform
\nin the council, he recommended the local legislature probe
\nalleged budget irregularities in Nuriana's administration.<\/p>\n
The councillors ignored the recommendation because they
\nallegedly already had received Rp 33.4 billion in bribes from
\nNuriana, Endang testified.<\/p>\n
He said prosecutors should also investigate Nuriana in this
\nbribery case.<\/p>\n
The West Java Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into
\nthe governor in 2001 over the earlier graft case, but they never
\nfiled charges.<\/p>\n
Endang said he recently reported the Nuriana case to the
\nCorruption Eradication Commission in Jakarta for investigation.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, hundreds of people in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB)
\nrallied on Wednesday to demand that former NTB governor Harun al-
\nRasyid be tried for graft.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have said they are investigating Harun over
\nalleged corruption in the 2001 and 2002 provincial budgets
\namounting to Rp 30 billion. At least 12 former members of the NTB
\ncouncil have been named as suspects in the case.<\/p>\n
Protesters entered the compound of the West Nusa Tenggara
\nProsecutor's Office after blocking off the road outside the
\ncomplex in Mataram, causing a major traffic jam.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Mataram District Court in West Nusa Tenggara
\nbegan hearing on Wednesday a graft case against West Lombok
\nHealth Office head Lalu Sekarningrat, which allegedly cost the
\nstate Rp 210 million in losses.<\/p>\n
Lalu is charged with taking money from a businessman in
\nexchange for awarding him a Rp 7.5 billion health project in
\n2003.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/former-west-java-governor-accused-of-bribing-councillors-1447893297",
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