180 councillors named graft suspects

180 councillors named graft suspects

JAKARTA: At least 180 members of regional legislatures in 18
provinces across the country have been named suspects in
corruption cases, it was announced on Wednesday.

Kemas Yahya Rahman, the spokesman of the Attorney General's
Office, said that number was expected to rise because the office
had yet to receive data from 12 more provincial prosecutor's
office.

"Most of them (suspects) have been charged with violating
government decree No. 110/2002 on regional budgets," Kemas said
at his office.

Of the suspects, 117 are from West Sumatra, 22 from Central
Java, 13 from West Java and 10 from Riau.

Corruption watchdogs have repeatedly bemoaned corruption in
the country, which not only involves the bureaucracy but also
legislative bodies and the judiciary. -- JP