Hundreds demand probe into NTB graft allegations<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people staged a rally here on Wednesday to demand an
\ninvestigation into allegations of corruption in the West Nusa
\nTenggara (NTB) administration, involving some Rp 6.7 billion
\n(US$788,235).<\/p>\n
The protesters from at least six community groups marched to
\nthe provincial prosecutor's office to convey their demand.<\/p>\n
They urged prosecutors to summon the outgoing West Nusa
\nTenggara governor, Harun Al Rasyid, all members of the provincial
\nlegislative council and the council secretary for questioning
\nover the graft case.<\/p>\n
The results of the investigation should be made public, they
\nasserted.<\/p>\n
"We voted for the councillors, but they have eaten our money.
\nFire them all," shouted one protester.<\/p>\n
The peaceful protest was the third in one week by a number of
\nlocal groups.<\/p>\n
The demonstrations centered on the alleged mark-up of funds
\nallocated in the 2003 budget for the council's expenses which
\nwere raised up to Rp 6.7 billion.<\/p>\n
The expenses were not in compliance with Gubernatorial Decree
\nNo. 90\/2001, which should have been used as a reference in
\ndrafting NTB's budget.<\/p>\n
Based on the decree, the annual expenses for the council
\nspeaker and all other councillors must not exceed Rp 2.6 billion.
\nBut the 2003 budget allocated Rp 3.9 billion for them. So the
\nmark-up amounted to Rp 1.3 billion.<\/p>\n
The allocations for numerous allowances were allegedly also
\nmarked up for the council members' personal gain.<\/p>\n
However, chairman of the council's budget committee Kushardi
\nAnggrat denied the allegations of fund misuse in the legislature.<\/p>\n
"The expenses are indeed not in line with Decree No. 90\/2001.
\nBut if there are mark-ups, you should not only blame us because
\nthe funds are reimbursed according to the list of projects
\napproved by the administration," he said.<\/p>\n
A similar denial also came from the treasurer of the council
\nsecretariat Lalu Supartha. "There are no irregularities in the
\nallocation for the council's expenses. It is according to
\nprocedures."<\/p>\n
Supartha said the duties of councillors should be supported by
\nfunding in line with the revenue of the West Nusa Tenggara
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
"Not all the activities of the council are on schedule. That's
\nwhy we need to prepare funds for incidental programs," he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hundreds-demand-probe-into-ntb-graft-allegations-1447893297",
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