Abdullah Puteh faces dismissal, loss of assets

Abdullah Puteh faces dismissal, loss of assets

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Suspended Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh will pay dearly for his
conviction in a graft case as he faces imminent dismissal and
will have his assets seized.

Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf said on Friday he would
officially ask President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to dismiss
Puteh following the Supreme Court's verdict that sentenced him to
10 years in prison last month. The court also fined him Rp 500
million (US$50,000) and ordered him to pay Rp 6.56 billion in
restitution to the state.

"We'll soon send a letter (on Puteh's dismissal) to the
President," Ma'ruf told The Jakarta Post after a Cabinet meeting
at the presidential office.

If the President endorses the minister's request, Puteh will
be the first governor to get his marching orders from the head of
state in the country's history due to a corruption case.

Ma'ruf said he recommended that Puteh's suspension be made
permanent because the governor's tenure would expire next month.

"Aceh is expected to hold a (direct) gubernatorial election in
the near future," Ma'ruf said.

Puteh's dismissal is a formality as he has in practice been
stripped of his powers since last December after President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono suspended him. The President then named Puteh's
deputy Azwar Abubakar acting governor.

The dismissal complies with Law No.32/2004 on regional
administration, which requires the president to dismiss a
regional administration head without consulting the local
legislature if he or she has been convicted by the Supreme Court
whose decision is final and binding. The administrative
punishment is restricted to criminal offenses that carry a
minimum jail sentence of five years.

Puteh was found guilty by the district and appeal courts of
enriching himself and abusing his power in the purchase of a
Russian-made helicopter for the Aceh administration in 2001. The
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which prosecuted Puteh,
estimated the state losses resulting from the mark-up at Rp 10
billion.

KPK said it was preparing to confiscate Puteh's assets
following the Supreme Court's ruling that required the governor
to pay back in five years the state money he embezzled.

"He once said he would return the state money all at once, but
later he asked us to allow him to pay in installments over five
years," KPK prosecutor Haidir Ramli said.

Haidir said the KPK would seize Puteh's assets soon, but
refused to say exactly when.

Prosecutors have listed Puteh's assets, which are worth more
than Rp 6.5 billion, Haidir said.

Puteh may face another conviction in connection with the bribe
offered by his lawyer to help him win his appeal filed with the
Jakarta High Court.

Prosecutors demanded four years imprisonment for the lawyer,
Tengku "Popon" Syaifuddin, who is charged with paying Rp 250
million to the court officials.