Political parties told to axe convicted members<\/p>\n
Syofiardi Bachyul, Padang<\/p>\n
Political parties have been urged to suspend six of their
\nreelected councillors in West Sumatra -- they were reelected in
\nthe April 5 election -- after they were found guilty of
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
The six are among the 43 members of the provincial legislative
\ncouncil who were jailed en masse by the Padang District Court on
\nMay 17 for over two years for their role in a graft scam.<\/p>\n
\"The political parties can repair some of their public image
\nif they take a clear stance in eradicating corruption by
\ndecommissioning the six reelected councillors,\" said Saldi Isra,
\ncoordinator of the Concerned Forum for West Sumatra (FPSB).<\/p>\n
The FPSB is a non-governmental organization that reported the
\ncorruption case against the councillors involving embezzlement of
\nRp 6.4 billion (US$711,111) from the West Sumatra budget.<\/p>\n
\"They (the parties) can emulate the success of the Prosperous
\nJustice Party (PKS) in boosting its image in fighting corruption
\nthrough its representatives in legislative bodies,\" he cited on
\nFriday. The PKS won 6 percent of votes nationwide in the April 5
\nelection, mainly on the strength of its reputation for concrete
\naction against corruption.<\/p>\n
Saldi, a constitutional law expert from Andalas University,
\nsaid even though such a suspension was not regulated by the law,
\nthe parties have the authority to suspend them.<\/p>\n
The six council members concerned are: Syawir Taher, Hendra
\nIrawan Rahim and Usman Hosen, all from the Golkar Party; Marhadi
\nEffendi of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Guspardi Gaus of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP) and Hilman Syarifuddin of the
\nCrescent Star Party (PBB).<\/p>\n
Responding to the demand, West Sumatra's PPP leader Baharuddin
\nR. said he respected the suggestion but added that to suspend
\nGuspardi, his party needed to \"follow existing procedures.\"<\/p>\n
\"We must first make the request formally at a party meeting
\nand the results will be reported to the PPP central executive
\nboard,\" Baharuddin added.<\/p>\n
The province's deputy chairman of PAN, Ki Jal Atri Tanjung,
\nsaid his party would adhere to the legal procedures.<\/p>\n
As there was no binding decision yet and the legislator,
\nMarhadi, is appealing against his conviction to a higher court,
\nPAN had chosen to wait for that legal process to run its course,
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
\"But to suspend him; that does not come under the provincial
\nchapter's authority. Only the central board can do that,\" Ki Jal
\nstressed.<\/p>\n
The West Sumatra General Elections Commission (KPUD),
\nannounced however, that the six councillors would still have the
\nright to be inaugurated for another five-year term, despite their
\nconviction, as long as there was no permanent verdict against
\nthem.<\/p>\n
The councillors were appealing the guilty verdicts, KPUD
\nchairman Mufti Syarfie argued.<\/p>\n
All 43 of the convicted councillors remain free however, as
\nthe Padang District Court did not order them to be immediately
\nincarcerated, because they announced their intention to appeal
\nupon hearing the verdict.<\/p>\n
Others found guilty also included council speaker Arwan Kasri
\nand his two deputies -- Masfar Rasyid and Titi Nazif Lubuk -- who
\nreceived two years and three months in prison. Forty other
\ncouncillors were sentenced to only two years imprisonment.<\/p>\n
The court also ordered all the convicts to return between Rp
\n100 million and 180 million each that they had embezzled and
\nfined Rp 100 million each.<\/p>\n
It was the first verdict handed down for a collective graft
\nscam involving legislative members in the country. A similar
\ntrial is ongoing in West Java.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/political-parties-told-to-axe-convicted-members-1447893297",
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