Graft suspects among 45 newly installed councillors<\/p>\n
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, Padang<\/p>\n
Forty-five members of the Padang municipal legislative council,
\nelected in the April 5 elections, were sworn in here on Friday,
\nincluding seven suspects currently standing trial on graft
\ncharges.<\/p>\n
The seven defendants are Masdi Ardi, Irdamsyah Nazar and
\nSyafrizal Gazali -- all from the National Mandate Party (PAN);
\nMirkadri Miyar and Basran Basyir -- both from the Golkar Party;
\nSaukani of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), and Nofrizal from the
\nIndonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).<\/p>\n
They were among 41 outgoing councillors elected for the 1999-
\n2004 period who were charged last March with involvement in a
\ncorruption scam worth Rp 10.4 billion (US$1.5 million) taken from
\nthe city's 2001 and 2002 budgets, and are being tried in the
\nPadang District Court, West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Court president Bustami Nusirwan presided over the oath-taking
\nceremony as the 45 new councillors were formally installed for
\nthe 2004-2009 period by West Sumatra Governor Zainal Bakar on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Responding to the swearing-in of seven defendants as
\ncouncillors, Mufti Syarfie from the West Sumatra General
\nElections Commission (KPUD) pointed to Law No. 12\/2003 on the
\nrequirements for legislators as the legal basis for their
\ninstallations.<\/p>\n
The law states that a person shall be barred from occupying a
\nseat in a legislature if he has been convicted of a crime based
\non a final and conclusive court ruling, and been handed a minimum
\njail sentence of five years.<\/p>\n
"If they (the seven defendants) are convicted of the charges
\nthey are facing and given five or more years in prison, we will
\norder their parties to recall them. If they are jailed for less
\nthan five years, we will advise their parties to replace them.
\nBut we will only do so after final and conclusive decisions have
\nbeen handed down," Mufti said.<\/p>\n
Bustami said the seven councillors were presumed innocent as
\ntheir trials were still continuing. "But, if they are convicted,
\nand the verdicts enter into final and conclusive effect, they
\ncould be removed or recalled," he added.<\/p>\n
In a similar case, the Padang court has convicted almost all
\n55 members of the West Sumatra provincial council for involvement
\nin a collective graft scandal. However, they remain free pending
\nappeal.<\/p>\n
The 45-strong new Padang municipal council is dominated by the
\nProsperous Justice Party (PKS) with 11 seats, followed by PAN
\nwith nine seats.<\/p>\n
Golkar won eight seats, and the United Development Party (PPP)
\nand the Democratic Part five each, while the PBB got three seats,
\nand the PKPI and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P) two each.<\/p>\n
Thirty-eight of the 45 new councillors are freshmen.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony, acting council
\nspeaker Budiman (PKS) vowed that his party was determined to
\nfight corruption in Padang.<\/p>\n
"We will begin with a commitment to working properly and in a
\ntrustworthy manner. We will consistently abide by the prevailing
\nlaw in enacting legislation and drafting the budget," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/graft-suspects-among-45-newly-installed-councillors-1447893297",
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