Graft mars World Bank program<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A project manager in a World Bank-funded program in the
\nCentral Sulawesi regency, Donggala, identified only by the intial of ZC,
\nhas been named a suspect in a Rp 700 million graft allegation.<\/p>\n
Iskandar Sukirman, head of the Donggala prosecutor's office,
\nsaid on Sunday that ZC was named a suspect after he allegedly
\nembezzled funds allocated to needy people or institutions in
\nseveral districts in Donggala.<\/p>\n
The state funds, in the form of loans provided by the World
\nBank, amounted to Rp 3 billion (US$375,000), managed under the
\nWorld Bank's District Development Program (PPK).<\/p>\n
\"The funds should have been distributed to people or
\ninstitutions in several districts. He reported to the World Bank
\nand the government that all had received the funds, but when the
\nreport was checked, only some of the funds had actually been
\ndistributed in 2002,\" said Sukirman, as quoted by Antara news
\nagency.<\/p>\n
The suspect has allegedly embezzled Rp 700 million of a total
\nRp 3 billion.<\/p>\n
Sukirman said that the suspect would be tried as soon as his
\nindictment was completed.<\/p>\n
The World Bank channeled grants to the government amounting to
\nRp 22 billion in 2002 to support its PPK in 25 districts of seven
\nregencies in Central Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The grant was to provide soft loans to small and medium
\nenterprises, funding for infrastructure development and
\nscholarships for school dropouts.<\/p>\n
The World Bank studied and appointed \"trusted people\" in the
\nrespective regions to channel the grants, as part of civil
\nsociety strengthening. In most cases, the strategy was well
\nexecuted but in some instances was disappointing, as was proven
\nin the case of ZC.<\/p>\n
The graft case was the second to have rocked Donggala this
\nyear. Last month, a local Donggala administration official was
\nnamed a suspect over embezzlement in the monthly payment of
\ndoctors and nurses in the regency, totaling Rp 300 million.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/graft-mars-world-bank-program-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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