Aceh NGO reveals graft cases of a defiant Puteh
Aceh NGO reveals graft cases of a defiant Puteh
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
An Aceh based non-governmental organization revealed a long
list of alleged fund abuses by Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh and
called for his ouster, as Jakarta is currently reviewing his
performance.
Aceh People's Solidarity for Anticorruption (SAMAK) blamed
Puteh for rampant corruption in his office that has worsened the
suffering of the Acehnese in the war-torn province. But Puteh
denied the charges on Wednesday, accusing the NGO of fabricating
them.
Sapto Waluyo, who coordinates a coalition of 38 NGOs backing
SAMAK's call, said money had poured into Aceh since it received a
special autonomy status last year.
The province, he said, received a total of Rp 8.8 trillion in
2002 (about US$252 million). "But as of now, economic recovery in
the province remains slow," he told a press conference.
He said that Aceh received Rp 1.11 trillion for humanitarian
programs but said he could not see how it had helped ease the
suffering of the Acehnese people.
J. Kamal Farza of SAMAK disclosed a two year investigation on
the alleged corruption practices in Aceh, highlighting abuses by
the governor.
Puteh's vehicles, he said, were worth Rp 1.8 billion or three
times the price of vehicles allotted to ministers in Jakarta.
"We believe that several projects are dubious and full of
mark-up practices," he said, citing one case where Aceh purchased
a patrol ship for Rp 20.7 billion while the normal price should
had been Rp 9 billion.
He added the governor once bought a helicopter for Rp 12
billion which the Navy had purchased for just Rp 3.5 billion in
the same year.
Puteh has also come under fire for launching an airline
service, which was inaugurated by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri last year but folded less than five months after.
"And how about the mega project Seulawah Air Service? None of
the Acehnese people have experienced any benefit, we don't know
whether the project still exists," Farza said referring to the
failed airline.
SAMAK also raised suspicion over the use of Rp 700 billion in
education funds, saying it did not know where the money had gone
to. The Aceh NGO said it could not register the slightest
improvement in education despite the money.
Data from the national census in 2001 showed that 76,000
children failed to obtain a formal education at school. In the
same year, some 6 percent or 267,000 of Aceh's 4.2 million people
remain illiterate.
Legal efforts to curb these alleged practices had failed,
according to SAMAK.
Last year at least 392 corruption cases involving high
officials in the Aceh administration had not been brought to
court. The figure was worse compared to the 374 cases in 2001,
according to SAMAK.
The coalition, in which the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW)
is also a member, demanded the government to suspend Puteh.
They also called for a presidium which would temporarily
replace Puteh, pending the election of a new governor through a
direct gubernatorial election.
The government has promised to look into the allegation,
saying it was reviewing Puteh's performance. There has been no
date set to announce the review's outcome.
Facing a barrack of criticism, the embattled Puteh urged the
people not to judge him.
He accused the NGOs of fabricating their charges, and said
they probably did not even know how a budget worked.
"All the money comes from the regional budget, it has been
earmarked for specific purposes. One cannot just take it and
corrupt it," explained Puteh.